Step Onto My Balcony
by Lecrit
Summary: Alec did not smoke. He hated smoking. He hated everything about it, from the smell to the taste. Yet, there he was, at ten in the evening, buying cigarettes at the grocery shop down the road for the only purpose of having an excuse to hang on his balcony and talk to his very handsome and very taken neighbor. Alec felt really stupid right now.
1. Serial Slapper

**Hello lovelies,**

 **This is your friendly reminder that English is still not my native language and I try my best to americanize my vocabulary as much as possible but I learned the language in England so there might be a few British expressions or words here and there!**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

 _You had to deal every day with people who were foolish and lazy and untruthful and downright unpleasant, and you could certainly end up thinking that the world would be considerably improved if you gave them a slap._ \- Terry Pratchett

* * *

"Didn't anyone warn you that there was a storm in New York, buddy?"

Okay, so maybe Magnus was wearing a barely buttoned burgundy shirt with no jacket and a pair of beige chinos tightened by a leather belt that screamed summer. When he had left London in the morning, it had been surprisingly warm for a late September day and he hated sweating while traveling so he had dressed in consequence. He hadn't thought of checking the weather in New York before takeoff. He was thus well underdressed for the temperature, as his taxi driver had not-so-subtly put out. He didn't care, though.

Looking by the car's window as they drove through the city, all he could be concerned about was how much he had missed New York. He hadn't known how much until he had landed, put a foot on the ground and realized that, finally, he was home.

It had been five years since the last time he had seen New York and it felt like returning to an old friend, familiar and welcoming.

"Where are you from?" the driver asked when he didn't reply to his first question.

"Here," Magnus replied. "But I've been away for a while."

"Oh, there's no place like home," the man chimed in with a genuine grin. "Where were you?"

"Asia, Europe, Africa, Peru… Here and there," he said, shrugging. "Bit of a round-the-world trip, I guess."

The man nodded in the rear-view thoughtfully, suddenly interested. Magnus could have talked for hours and hours of all the amazing places he had visited, all the incredible people he had met, all the marvelous food he had tasted. Right now though, he just wanted to go home, have a shower and reunite with his made-up family. He wondered if it would still feel like home after so long.

It was weird, five years later, to realize that Luke's apartment still felt like home as much as if he had been gone for barely a week. The first thing that hit him as he opened the door was the smell of old books all around, familiar and welcomed. Then, it was Clary's voice resonating all the way to his ears from the living room. He smiled to himself, depositing his luggage on the floor as quietly as he could and he moved swiftly, almost on his tiptoes, to surprise them. He stopped when he heard his name being mentioned, frowning.

"What if he changed his mind?" Clary was asking loudly and there was a true apprehension in her voice that made Magnus frown. "What if he's not coming home?"

It was Luke who spoke, his gentle, caring tone cutting across the room like a stroke. "Of course he's coming home, Clary."

"Clary, Magnus is an idiot but he's an honorable one. If he said he's coming home, of course he's going to be there," said a voice Magnus could identify as Raphael.

"I know, I know but he should have called already, Raphael!" Clary protested. "He was supposed to call as soon as he landed!"

"I swear to God, Clary, if you don't stop fidgeting around, I'm going to tape you to the wall," another voice growled, vaguely annoyed, and this time, Magnus distinctly distinguished Simon's accent.

He stepped forward, ready to surprise them but none of them noticed him standing in the threshold, so he just stood there with a smirk, waiting for one of them to notice him. They didn't. It was all very entertaining.

Luke and Jocelyn were sitting on the couch, their bodies held close together, while Clary was pacing back and forth, biting on her nails. Next to her, Simon was looking at her with despair in his eyes, like he didn't know what to do to calm her anymore. Beside him, sporting pretty much the same expression, stood Raphael, his hair pushed back on his head, his black eyes flashing with worry, affection and irritation because it wouldn't have been Raphael if he didn't look at least a little bit annoyed to be here.

"I just wish he was punctual," Clary sighed.

"Punctual was never Magnus's forte," Jocelyn chimed in with a smile and there was a lot going on in that simple grin, a tenderness that he had only ever seen on her face when she talked about Clary or Simon. It filled his heart with much welcomed warmth.

"Oh, but I have so many other magnificent qualities to compensate," he finally said with an amused voice.

Their five heads snapped toward him from the threshold.

Magnus had always liked making an entrance and it was not going to change anytime soon. Raphael and Ragnor usually just rolled their eyes at him so it was nice to have a more receptive audience. The silence didn't last long, but it was enough for him to appreciate his novelty effect before Clary threw herself into his arms.

"Magnus!' she shrieked after the moment of bewilderment had passed.

She ran across the room to meet him and launched herself at him, squeezing him tightly into her arms like she was afraid he would disappear if she didn't. Magnus caught her easily, sliding his arms around her waist with a happy laugh. He hadn't seen her in two years, where she had come to see him in Paris with Simon, and he had missed her badly.

He hadn't realized how quickly time had passed. When he had left New York, Clary had been eighteen, she had barely graduated. Now, she was about to graduate again but from art school this time. It seemed like a blink of an eye and yet, he had actually felt these five years past, he thought as he detached himself from Clary to embrace Jocelyn and Luke who had made their ways to him as well. They were beaming at him and he found himself grinning right back happily, his heart warming up at the sight of his loved ones. When he was released from Luke's bone-crushing hug, he scanned the room, his eyes finding Simon who was standing a few feet away from him.

"Sherwin!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "Good to see you again."

Simon rolled his eyes and snorted, coming over to hug him as well.

"You go away for five years and you can't even remember my name?" he snickered, gently patting the warlock's back. "Good to see I was missed, Magnus."

"Yes, yes, of course I missed you, Sherwin."

The tone was nonchalant but it was contradicted by the joyful smile illuminating both of their faces. Magnus turned to the last person in the room. Raphael stepped forward to shake his hand, always the coldest of them all and Magnus scoffed at him, grabbing the outstretched hand to pull him forward and into a hug.

"What's the point of being having a cell phone if you don't call to get a lift from the airport?" Raphael smirked.

"And missing the occasion of making such an entrance?" Magnus retorted wittily. "Where would be the fun in that?"

Raphael rolled his eyes at him. "Didn't anyone warn you that it's cold in New York? What are you even wearing?"

"Shush, Raphael," Magnus dismissed his remark with an exaggerated wave. "It was warm in London when I left. Now, I love you all but I really need a shower, then we can catch up."

"You know the house," Luke replied kindly, a small paternal smile playing on his lips.

Magnus nodded and left for the bathroom. He did know the house. He had been raised in that apartment.

Luke and his father had been friends for years from the first day they had been roommates in college to the day his father had died many years ago. Luke had been his godfather and the closest thing to family he had had. So, when his father had passed away from cancer, his mother having abandoned both of them when he was born, Luke had adopted Magnus and he had been taken care of him ever since. Magnus was a grown-up man now but Luke still looked at him like the orphan child he had taken in. Magnus often wondered if it was painful for him to see so much of his father in him. He looked a lot like his father but it wasn't the physical similarities that were the most striking. He knew how much like his father he was in his character, in his eccentricities, in his caring heart. Even though his memories of him were blurred because he had been so young when he had passed away, Magnus remembered enough about his father to be aware of all of that.

Luke had married Jocelyn, his long lost childhood love, when Magnus had been nine. With her had come Clary, who had only been four at the time, and with Clary had come Simon, the boy from kindergarten that she had basically decided to adopt. It made a weird family, but Magnus wouldn't have had it any other way.

He showered and changed his clothes, grumpily putting away his summer outfit to find a warmer one before going back to the living room. It opened on the kitchen, where Jocelyn and Luke were moving swiftly, cutting vegetables and stirring a spoon in a sauce pan with an easy rhythm that showed how accustomed they were in working together. Clary was sitting on the couch with Simon, showing him a picture on her phone that Magnus had sent her two days ago. It was Saint Katharine Docks, showered in the first lights of morning. Raphael was sitting in front of the cooking couple, sneakily stealing food when they were not looking.

"So," Magnus exclaimed, rubbing his hands together, looking at Jocelyn and Luke, "where is that apartment of mine exactly?"

When he had announced them that, finally, after five years, he was coming back home, Luke had been overjoyed but it was nothing compared to Jocelyn and Clary who had started making plans of all the things they would do in the apartment to make him feel welcomed again. They had been slightly disappointed when he had told them that he would need his own apartment, because he was twenty-eight and he needed his independence but they had understood. So Jocelyn and Clary had thrown themselves in finding him the perfect place, refusing to tell him anything about it, demanding that he would just trust them. He had just sent them the money and they had taken care of everything. Of course he did trust them, he knew he would love the place just because they had chosen it for him so it had to be perfect. However, he was still excited about discovering the place.

Clary laughed happily, shaking her head at him like he was a bad joke, and stepped forward, hooking her arm with his.

"I missed you," she said, her eyes shining with happiness.

"I missed you too, biscuit."

Missing New York was nothing next to what missing them had been like.

.

Alexander Lightwood sometimes wished he could switch his siblings for more supportive and more honest ones. When he had bought his apartment in Brooklyn, finally moving out of their parents' house, they had helpfully offered to help him move his things. He should have known what it meant.

What it meant was that they were both either brooding at him for moving out in the first place or not helping at all with the boxes. Isabelle had been sitting on the couch in his living room since Jace and he had brought it up the stairs, staring at her nails in a nonchalant way and making snarky comments at her brothers. Jace had helped with the boxes, at least, but he had been frowning from the moment they had left their parents' house and he still was, his disheveled blond hair barely hiding the thunderous look in his golden eyes.

"Why do you have to own so many books?" Jace growled, falling in the couch next to Isabelle, his hair stuck to his forehead with sweat.

"We're not done," Alec informed him but he took the opportunity to gulp an almost entire bottle of water.

He was sweating himself and his dark hair was a mess, sticking in every way imaginable.

"I'm taking five, boss," Jace grunted back.

Alec rolled his eyes, grumbled something that sounded a lot like "lazy assholes" and went back to the elevator. His car was parked in the street, the trunk open to facilitate the trips up and down his apartment, just next to the moving van he had borrowed from his parents for the day. He grabbed a box and turned back to the building. Jace and Isabelle had not moved and he dropped it on the floor, turning to face them, an exasperated frown on his face.

"Okay, guys, if you're not going to help, please start cooking or something. I'm starving and it's almost lunch."

"I've already ordered pizza," Isabelle retorted with a smirk.

"Smart idea. We wouldn't want to be exposed to your cooking skills again," Jace snorted.

He was slouched on the couch, his legs stretched out in front of him and resting on his brand new coffee table. Alec glared at him but Jace didn't seem very impressed.

"Fine," he sighed finally, rising from the couch. "I'll come with you."

"That's why you came with me in the first place," Alec growled back, stepping out of the apartment again, his brother on his heels.

"No, I came because you said you would buy us a beer afterwards," Jace replied, his voice heavy with sarcasm. "And by a beer, I mean ten."

"When we're done," Alec said, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "Stop moaning."

"Says the biggest moaner in history," Jace sneakered, ruffling his brother's already messy hair.

Alec protested, whacking his hand away reflexively.

"I hate you," he sighed, stepping out of the elevator again.

"No you don't," Jace exclaimed cheerfully.

.

Magnus felt much better after a good night sleep, the time difference between London and New York had come crashing down the night before while he was counting one of his many adventures in Peru to his family, his eyes almost dropping with sleep. Even the storm had not been able to wake him up.

He had found his childhood room just like he had left it, the walls filled with pictures and maps of the world. He had smiled when he had seen the places that he had meticulously encircled with a red pen when he must have been seventeen. He had visited all of these places now and the mere thought had filled in with a deep sense of content and accomplishment.

The next morning, Clary had awakened him around half past ten, claiming that the jet lag would be even worse if he slept too much. He had grumpily obliged, getting out of bed with as much grace as his drowsy limbs would allow.

The plan for the day was to have lunch with Jocelyn and Luke who both had to leave after for different appointments and Clary would take him to his apartment. So after lunch, they both left and decided with walking because the storm was already gone and a shy sun was shimming over New York.

The streets were as calm as technically possible in a city like New York, always in movement. Magnus slid his arms over Clary's shoulders as they walked, listening carefully as Clary was updating him on all the things he had missed in five years. They had emailed each other every week so he already knew basically everything but it was ten times better to hear it out loud, to be able to see her green eyes shine with excitement or fierceness depending on the stories.

"Here we are!" she exclaimed cheerfully as they stopped in front of a new building in the heart of Brooklyn.

Simon and Raphael were already waiting there, obviously arguing if their postures were any indication. Simon was making big gestures with his arms, his glasses falling lower on his nose, and Raphael looked like he would have preferred to be anywhere but there. Magnus suspected that much was true.

"Lovebirds," he chimed in when they stopped in front of them, "enough with the PDA."

Raphael rolled his eyes at him and threw him a shining item that he gracefully caught mid-flight. It was a set of keys. Magnus grinned happily at him and stepped inside, calling for the elevator. They all squeezed in and he watched as Clary pressed the fifth button, excitement growing in his stomach. In all honesty, he had been worried at first when Jocelyn and her daughter had claimed that they would take care of finding him a new place to live in New York, but now he was just fidgeting with anticipation. He knew they wouldn't disappoint.

The elevator stopped with a soft ding and the doors opened to a small corridor that held four doors. One of the doors was already open.

"It's a new building," Clary enlightened him lightly. "They barely finished building it a month ago so people are still moving in."

Magnus nodded as they walked down the corridor. She turned to face a door, pointing at it with a big smile and he was about to slide his key in the lock when loud voices erupted on their right. Their small group spun around in a perfectly synchronized swift movement.

"I can't believe you ate all the pizza!"

It was a woman's voice and she seemed really angry. Magnus was about to turn around when she came out of the unlocked door. She had long ink-black hair that circled a pale but gorgeous face. Her dark brown eyes shone with a fierce spark and she stood tall on her feet, her chin up in both anger and pride. She was wearing a short and tight blue dress, accessorize with a pair of black tights and very high heels. Magnus approved instantly.

"I was starving," protested another voice, a man this time, coming closer from the corridor.

Magnus was vaguely aware that they were all staring at the argument, but he couldn't bring himself to care. It was very entertaining.

"Alec is going to kill you," the woman replied with an almost spiteful laugh. "You better order another one right now."

He heard the man sigh from inside the apartment and he stepped forward, coming out to face her.

"I'll go get another one," he grumbled crankily.

Magnus wondered if everyone in this building sported the same good looks. If so, he approved one hundred percents.

He was tall as well, taller than the woman, and sported fine, golden blond hair that was messily arranged. His eyes were probably light brown but from the small distance and under the dim light, they appeared to be gold. His right arm was covered with a big, black tattoo and Magnus only realized now that the woman he was arguing with was displaying the exact same one on her own arm.

As soon as he was out in the corridor, Magnus felt Clary tense from where she was still tugged under his arm. He frowned, looking down to glance at her but she wasn't looking back at him, completely focused on the fighting couple.

Everything that occurred next happened so quickly that Magnus lost all sense of understanding.

The fighting couple, probably noticing the staring, turned toward them and the blond man's mouth fell open, his eyes widening in obvious shock.

"Clary?" he exclaimed.

Magnus frowned in surprise just as the elevator doors opened with a ding, a tall dark-haired incredibly handsome man stepping out of it, holding what looked like a very heavy box. The blond guy stepped forward and frowned when his golden eyes settled on Magnus's arm still firmly set over Clary's shoulders.

"Who's that?" he asked in an astonished voice. There was an obvious underlined jealousy in his tone and something like hurt too that forced Magnus to focus back on him, only to realize the blond was pointing at him with a long finger.

Clary didn't answer. Instead, she stepped forward and slapped the guy so hard that his face went spinning on the side.

"Wow!" Simon exclaimed behind Magnus's back.

Even Raphael actually looked surprised. The blond turned his head back toward Clary, wide-eyed and visibly shocked. So was Magnus, to be fair. The woman he had been fighting with seconds ago moved to join them, her whole posture showing she would fight them if she had to.

The man who had just come out of the elevator stepped forward, dropping his box on the floor. He put a gentle hand on the blond stranger's shoulder.

"Jace, I'm not even done moving in yet, how did you manage to piss off my neighbors already?" he growled with a deep, raspy voice that sent nasty thoughts to Magnus's mind.

In spite of the obvious intensity of the situation, his entire attention was suddenly grasped on the breathtaking stranger. It wasn't so much the thin, wiry build, even though it was a very nice bonus, but more the stunning blue eyes and jet-black hair that peaked Magnus's interest. The combination had always been his biggest weakness. He was wearing a black tank top that was doing wonders for his shoulders and biceps and Magnus found himself staring. His right arm sported the exact replica of the other two strangers' tattoo. He wondered what that was about.

He turned to face them, an apologetic spark in his startling eyes and Magnus would have given him anything he would have asked.

"I'm sorry about him," he stated calmly.

"You're my brother, you're supposed to support me when I get slapped, not throw me under the bus!" the so-called Jace blurted out indignantly.

"I don't know what you did but I'm sure you deserved it," the handsome stranger replied, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

"He did," Clary confirmed, an untamed fury dancing in her eyes.

Jace was about to argue when the woman he had been fighting with over pizza stepped forward, holding a hand up to shut him up. She turned her dark fierce eyes on Clary and Magnus stood taller on his feet, hovering above her protectively. She didn't seem impressed.

"I like you," she finally stated with a smirk. "I'm Isabelle Lightwood, but you can call me Izzy."

She was holding out her hand and Magnus had to chuckle because this whole situation was kind of hilarious.

"Clary," the redhead replied, shaking the outstretched hand.

"Do you live here?' Isabelle inquired, sending a kind smile to the rest of their group.

Clary shook his head no, twisting her body to point at Magnus.

"No, my _brother_ is moving in today," she declared, insisting on the word as she glared at Jace whose mouth fell open in surprise.

"Your brother?" he blurted out. "B-But you look nothing like each other."

Magnus chuckled, rolling his eyes. He didn't know what the story was there but Clary had to do something about her taste in guys.

"Yeah, because you and your brother look exactly the same," he chimed in with a mocking smirk, pointing between the two of them.

"I'm adopted," Jace countered lamely.

His cheek had started to turn a vicious shade of red.

"Well, so am I," Magnus retorted with a smile. "So many things in common already," he added sarcastically.

There was a short silence as the three of them seemed to scan him with preying eyes but Magnus did not deflate for a second, staring right back.

"I like you too," Isabelle finally beamed happily.

"Well, thank you sweetheart. The feeling is mutual."

It was. Magnus had always liked people with fire and she was a dragon.

She smiled again, before turning her head to Blue Eyes. "Where are your manners? Introduce yourself to your neighbor!" she chastised him.

"Sorry," the poor man stuttered, gazing straight at Magnus. "H-Hi. Uhm. I'm Alec. Alec Lightwood."

It was a nice name, Magnus pondered to himself, to fit a very nice face.

"Magnus Bane," he breathed out, unable to hold the flirtatious tone back, shaking the outstretched hand.

"Magnus, no", Clary reprimanded him lowly, for his ears only.

It occurred to him that he was probably staring by now and that a handshake wasn't supposed to last that long but he really couldn't care when Alec was staring right back with these amazing eyes of his.

He rolled his eyes at his sister's comment, pulling away from his neighbor reluctantly. Alec nodded at the rest of the group.

"Yeah, it's very nice to meet you all. So, are we going to stay in the corridor all day?" Raphael grunted crankily, always a ray of sunshine. "Because I'd rather spend eternity eating shards of broken glass."

Magnus rolled his eyes, shifting swiftly to finally turn the key in the door.

"There you go, sunshine."

Raphael glared at him, before stepping inside, Simon on his heels. "Don't call me that."

Magnus snorted and turned to face the Lightwoods. "He loves me," he informed them with an amused smile. "See you later," he added and winked at Alec, smirking softly when a delicious blush plastered his pale skin.

"But –" Jace's voice chimed in but Magnus was already closing the door behind Clary and him.

Once inside, he took a minute to look around. He was in on a small hallway where already stood a wooden coat rack where Raphael and Simon had discarded their jackets. The wall was open on an ample living room. The boys were already slouched on the two leather couches that laid in the middle of the room. One of them was facing the range of windows, bathing the room in light, while the other one was turned toward the flat TV hung on the red-brick wall. It was already switched on a basketball game and neither Raphael nor Simon paid any attention to them, focused on the screen. The coffee table between them appeared to be mahogany and Magnus almost chastised Simon for putting his feet on it but he knew he would probably be doing the same soon enough.

He couldn't really focus on them anyway because his attention had been caught by the view that the French doors along the wall disclosed. He opened them immediately, stepping on the balcony and Clary followed him with a soft smile, obviously happy to see him wander around the apartment she had carefully chosen for him.

Magnus had always loved New York. It was the city he had grown up in and there was something appealing about that but it wasn't only that. It was the way it seemed to be always in movement, always changing, a marvelous blend of modern and ancient that created the unique atmosphere that Magnus hadn't found in any of the numerous cities he had visited. New York was inimitable and, in his eyes, matchless. So it was a wonder, to him, to live in a place that had such a view.

The balcony was facing the East River. In the distance, he could see the architectural marvel that was New York, the perfect mixture of historic monuments, glorious skyscrapers and dazzling buildings. It was breathtaking and he found himself, not for the first time, overjoyed that he had finally decided to come home. He didn't think he would ever want to leave again if that was what he would come home to.

"So, what do you think?" Clary asked eagerly, a stunning grin illuminating her face.

Magnus turned to her only to find out he had been rendered speechless. He smiled the most genuine, caring and happy smile he could and slid his arms around her shoulders, dropping a kiss at the top of her head.

"It's perfect," he mumbled against her hair.

The rest of the loft was as wonderful as the main room. The modern kitchen was separated from the living room by a long bar and two cast-iron pillars that created a beautiful balance between practicality and style and Magnus loved it. Next to the kitchen, a long corridor led to the three bedrooms and one big bathroom.

His bedroom was the biggest one, _obviously_ , and was bathed in light by a roof-window and another one on the wall next to the door that led to another smaller bathroom. He almost lost his mind when he opened the door next to the king-size bed to find a dressing room, already filled with the clothes he had had to leave behind when he had gone away five years ago. Clary laughed loudly at his excitement, rolling her eyes fondly.

"I knew it would be your favorite thing," she mocked kindly.

"Oh God," he exclaimed, wiggling his fingers enthusiastically. "I am going to organize everything by colors, it's going to look so great!"

She giggled and it took her at least five long minutes to convince him to leave the dressing room. All in all, the apartment was indeed perfect and he had never been so grateful in his whole life.

When they got back to the living room, he slouched down on the couch next to Simon, a happy grin permanently fixed on his lips.

"So, do you like it?" Simon asked casually. "Please say yes. I didn't spend weeks helping with decorations and painting and electric cables for you not to like it. If you don't like it, I'm sending you back to Iceland."

"Reykjavik is actually very nice at this time of the year," Magnus retorted with a smirk. "But don't you worry, Samuel, I love it."

Simon snorted, rolling his eyes. "After all the trouble I went through for your sake, you could at least stop pretending not to know my name for a day."

"Deal. I'll let you know when I've chosen that day. Maybe Christmas? It could be your present," Magnus quipped back, winking.

"You're an idiot," Simon countered but there was a small smile playing on his lips.

Clary came to sit next to Raphael, who was too engrossed on the game to pay attention to any of them. She had a soda can in her hand and Magnus wondered where it came from, before he realized that Jocelyn must have filled his fridge and all of his cupboards with food and drinks because that was the kind of things she did even though he was twenty-eight and very capable of doing his own grocery shopping.

He leaned forward to take a sip out of her drink before holding it back to her.

"So, what's the deal with you and that Jace kid?" he inquired matter-of-factly, falling back on the couch.

"Yeah," Simon chimed in. "I've never seen him before. What did he do to you?"

"It's more what he didn't do," Clary replied and there was bitterness in her usually kind voice. "Remember that party Eric threw a month ago when his parents went away for the weekend?"

Simon nodded positively. Magnus was left with nothing to do but shrug. He knew that Eric was Simon's best friend and band mate and that he usually dragged them to weird concerts or chaotic parties. He didn't remember Clary mentioning one of them recently, though.

"Well, I met Jace that night and…"

She cut herself off, her pale skin flushing a light shade of pink.

"We kind of hooked up," she admitted, before taking in Magnus's smirk, hastily correcting herself. "We didn't sleep together! We just made out and we talked… a lot and it was really nice and we really got along so I gave him my number and obviously, he never called me back. Hence the slap."

"Which was quite impressive, dare I say," Magnus snickered. "Did you take boxing lessons while I was away?"

"No, but I guess I had good motivations," Clary rebutted with a smirk of her own.

"Serves him well," Simon intervened.

.

"I can't believe she slapped me!" Jace shouted when they were finally done bringing all the boxes up, standing in front of his siblings who were sprawled on the couch, exhausted.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you didn't deserve it," Alec growled doubtfully.

"I didn't!" Jace argued. "I tried to call and text her and she never answered!"

"Maybe you did something to piss her off at that party then," Isabelle put in, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

"What? Come on, have a little faith in me!" he implored, his voice high with irritation. "I did nothing wrong! We made out, I spent all night with her and I called her a taxi when she told me she had to go. I even paid for it! I was the perfect gentleman!"

"Well, you must have done something wrong!" Alec replied. "I'm sure she doesn't go around slapping people who have done nothing to her."

"Maybe she does," Isabelle smirked. "Maybe she's a serial slapper."

"A serial slapper?" Jace echoed, complete astonishment on his handsome features. "Izzy, that's not even a thing!"

"Well, it could become one. Clary could be a pioneer. I'm sure a lot of men deserve free slaps. Maybe you didn't do anything to her but I'm also sure you should have been slapped a few times in your life and it didn't happen. So, basically, it's just karma."

"Isabelle, I don't even know what you're talking about," Jace growled, dropping his head in his hands.

"I do," Alec chimed in. "It actually makes sense."

Jace glared at them, his expression a mixture of betrayal, astonishment and helplessness. He narrowed his golden eyes at them, before showing them both his middle fingers and spinning around, grabbing his phone.

"I'm ordering pizza. And I'm asking for extra anchovies just because I know you both don't like it."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Very mature, Jace."

"Fuck off."

.

* * *

 **There you go for the first chapter!**

 **I hope you liked it. Did you have any favorite or least favorite parts? Let me know :)**

 **Next chapter will be posted on Wednesday or Thursday, depending on how much work I've got in the next few days!**  
 **Have a cookie to keep you waiting:**  
 ** _"You are not climbing anything with the level of alcohol in your blood right now," Alec deadpanned._**  
 ** _"Oh come on, I'm sure it could be funny," Magnus contested, pointing a blue-nailed finger at him._**  
 ** _"It won't be when you fall and I have to explain to your family how you died."_**  
 ** _"Just tell them I want my epitaph to say "I believe I can fly"," Magnus chimed in tipsily._**

 **You can still find me on tumblr there: onceuponasourwolf.**

 **See you very soon!**

 **All the love,**  
 **L.**


	2. Hot Neighbor

" _Smoking is indispensable if one has nothing to kiss_ "  
― Sigmund Freud

.

It was two weeks after he had moved in that Alec next saw his neighbor. He had heard him coming home a few times, usually late at night, when he had trouble sleeping. It was nothing but the noise of the key turning in the door because otherwise, he was very quiet.

He was coming home from work and he dropped his shoulder bag on the floor and immediately went to the sink to wash his hands. The subway had been packed and Alec had found himself stuck to a grandmother who had been ogling him with surprisingly seducing eyes. She had even winked at him, he remembered, shivers running down his spine unpleasantly.

It was mid-October but it wasn't too cold yet so he took the opportunity to open the glass door of his balcony and stepped outside, admiring the view. The sun was slowly setting, bathing the city in orange and rosy colors and it was breathtaking.

He was leaning on his elbows against the stone barrier when a voice boomed behind him.

"Hi neighbor! Alec, right?"

He jumped, spinning to the left to see Magnus sprawled on a velvet chaise longue, a cocktail in one hand and a burning cigarette in the other, an open book on his lap. There was nothing that separated their respective balconies but a low wall that Alec probably could have dissembled with his bare hands with how solid it looked.

Alec had had his breath taken away by the man before, when he had first met him but he didn't expect it to happen again so it surprised even himself when he was rendered speechless. Magnus should have been too tall for the chair and it should have looked awkward but he managed to display grace and elegance instead and it made no sense to Alec that it was even possible. His brown skin seemed to shine under the twilights but maybe it was influenced by the glitter his neighbor was wearing in his dark black hair and on his yellow-green eyes. He was wearing a barely buttoned black silk shirt that exposed his tanned chest and Alec had to force himself not to stare. Alec thought he was as breathtaking as the view itself.

"Uhm, h-hi," he managed to stammer eventually. "Yeah, that's it. Magnus," he added lamely, just to let him know that he remembered his name.

Magnus smiled at him, his eyes shining with amusement.

"Want one?" he offered, holding out a pack of cigarettes.

Alec didn't smoke. He hated the smell and the whole sensation of it. He had tried it before, mostly in college parties and sometimes it had been mixed with weed and maybe he had liked it better that way, not that he would admit it because it would ruin his entire reputation of a stern person. Anyway, he didn't smoke. He never had and never thought he would so the next words that left his mouth were a real mystery to him.

"Y-yeah, s-sure," he stuttered.

He swore internally, trying his best to appear composed. It was made harder when Magnus rose from his chaise longue in an elegant swift motion that shouldn't have been possible for someone so tall. He walked the few steps that separated him from Alec and held him the pack of cigarettes. Alec took one out as casually as he could. Magnus smiled and produced a silver Zippo lighter out of his pocket, opening it between them. Alec moved forward to light the cigarette, taking a long puff before releasing the smoke, grateful when he didn't start coughing his lungs out like he had the first time he had tried it.

"So, what do you do?" Magnus asked with a smile, leaning against the guardrail of his balcony.

"I teach at Columbia. Just started this year. I finished my PhD last June," Alec answered and mentally thanked himself for not stammering like an idiot again. He looked down at the cigarette in his hand and took a reluctant puff, trying to play it cool. He felt like one of his students.

"Really? What do you teach?" his neighbor inquired and there was a genuine interest in his tone, like it was something really exciting.

"Mostly Ancient History and Mythologies."

"Oh, that's so cool!" Magnus blurted out excitingly.

Alec almost frowned at the enthusiasm. It wasn't the usual reaction he got when he told people what he did.

"I love mythology," his neighbor continued, taking a long drag on his cigarette before putting it out in a purple and gold ashtray, holding it out to him. "When I was traveling, I took an interest in it because there's a different mythology basically in every country and it's so fascinating to discover a country through its mythology!"

Alec had to stop his mouth from falling open in shock.

"Did you travel a lot?" he asked instead, putting out his own cigarette.

"You could say that," Magnus nodded, taking a sip of whatever pink drink was in his glass. "I've actually only been back for two weeks. When we met, I had just landed the night before from London."

Alec nodded thoughtfully, remembering the day they had met two weeks prior and how the situation had quickly envenomed.

"Sorry about Jace by the way," he said, putting his hands in his jeans pockets to have something to do with them. "He can be a pain in the ass but he's not that bad deep down, if you dig really deep."

This seemed to amuse Magnus, who let out a small laugh that filled Alec with a sense of pride.

"It's quite alright, really. He wasn't rude or anything. Clary just slapped him out of the blue. I don't think he saw it coming."

"No, I can assure you he didn't," Alec chuckled, an amused smile playing on his lips at the memory. "He didn't stop talking about it all night long. We went to have a beer at the bar down the corner and he literally had the mark of her hand on his cheek. All five fingers."

This time, Magnus fully laughed, throwing his head back, his free hand falling against his stomach.

"I'll be sure to tell Clary, she'll be happy to know that," he replied, a delighted spark dancing in his green eyes.

Alec smiled and let a small silence settle between them. It was almost dark now and the cities lights were slowly switching on, making the scenery even more spectacular.

"What about you?" he asked, turning back toward Magnus. "What do you do?"

"Oh, this and that," Magnus eluded, gracefully waving a hand.

Alec frowned but didn't insist. He barely knew the man, he wasn't going to pry if he didn't want to talk about what he did. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a tiny cry at Magnus's feet. He lowered his gaze to see a grey kitten staring at them with bored yellow eyes.

"Hello darling," Magnus cooed, bending down to pick the cat up, scratching absentmindedly between his ears. "This is Chairman Meow," he announced proudly and the kitten meowed as loudly as he could, as if to confirm his identity. "Clary's welcome home present."

Alec smiled, holding out his hand for the cat to sniff. When he didn't withdraw, he stroked his head lightly. Chairman Meow closed his eyes in delight, purring lowly.

"He likes you," Magnus beamed at him.

Alec was about to answer when someone cleared their throat, making them startled in surprise. The cat jumped out of Magnus's arms, running inside, probably to hide somewhere. There was a man standing by the open doors of his balcony and Alec knew he had seen him before, on the same day he had met his neighbor for the first time but he couldn't put a name on his face.

"Raphael!" Magnus smiled widely. "This is my neighbor Alec, you remember him?"

"Yeah," the so-called Raphael answered coldly.

Alec wondered if it was the way he was or if he just didn't like him personally.

"Well, I mostly remember Clary slapping that other guy, the blond one," he added and that seemed to lighten something in him because his lips twitched with the beginning of a smirk. "Hi."

Alec nodded in answer, suddenly uncomfortable. There was a whole world between Magnus's friendly warmth and Raphael's frosty behavior.

"Excuse him," Magnus smiled at him. "He was raised with wolves so he doesn't know how to function properly around people."

Raphael glared at him. "Are you ready? We have to go. I have reservations at eight."

"Yeah, give me five minutes," Magnus answered, rolling his eyes.

He turned back toward Alec, the wide smile back on his lips. "I'll see you around?"

"Well, we do share a balcony," Alec retorted swiftly, smirking lightly.

"See you, then," his neighbor replied cheerfully, winking at him, which seemed to darken Raphael's mood even more. "Let's go, darling!"

Alec wondered if he was flirting for a second, blushing lightly, but chastised himself quickly. He wouldn't do that in front of the guy who was obviously his boyfriend. They made an odd pair but maybe they were one of those couples, he pondered to himself, where they balanced each other perfectly, the happy-go-lucky one and the grumpy one. Or maybe they were reserved, keeping the sweet attentions behind closed doors and away from preying eyes. Somehow, it didn't look sound like Magnus to be shy with his attentions but then again, Alec barely knew him.

.

Magnus really hadn't thought everything through. Technically, he had the time to go to the small grocery shop down the corner but he couldn't leave to sauce pan unattended for two long so he settled for the easiest option. He stretched his head out the balcony to make sure the lights were on in his neighbor's apartment and, satisfied, got out in the corridor to knock on his door.

He heard fidgeting, before the door opened on the feisty brunette that he remembered as Alec's sister. She smiled at him, a wide, almost predatory smile.

"Hi! You're Alec's neighbor, right?"

"Magnus," he nodded to confirm.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked politely.

"I was wondering if maybe I could borrow some sugar? I was cooking and I just realized I don't have as much as necessary and I can't leave the pan unattended long enough to go to the shop down the road," he explained quickly.

Isabelle didn't answer but she leaned toward him, dangerously close, and sniffed the air. Magnus didn't move, silently observing her, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Is that smell coming from your apartment?" she inquired, her dark eyes widening a little bit.

Magnus just nodded carefully.

"Well, it smells amazing," she exclaimed cheerfully. She turned back toward the apartment, suddenly yelling. "Alec, it's your hot neighbor! He needs some sugar."

"Hot neighbor?" Magnus echoed with a proud smirk. "I like it. I might add that to my business card."

Isabelle turned to wink at him playfully. "You can put that under "fashion expert", I love that shirt!"

"Oh, thank you," Magnus exclaimed happily because the best way to his heart had always been through fashion. Or blue eyes and dark hair but really, it was a tie.

It was a dark green shirt, with navy blue embroideries waves along the sleeves. He had bought it in Japan the first time he had been there. "I love that dress," he added, pointing at Isabelle. "Red is your color."

She beamed at him, just as Alec appeared in the threshold, holding two packs of sugar.

"Hi, Magnus," he said with a small smile that showed the tiny dimple on his left cheek and Magnus had to bit his lip not to whine because he was weak for dimples and always had been. To think about it, Alec was in fact a combination of Magnus's every weaknesses and it really was not fair.

"White or brown?" his neighbor asked, holding the two bags up.

"White please," he blurted out, thanking him profusely as he held it out to him. "I'll see you later then," he beamed happily.

The Lightwood siblings nodded, saluting him and he turned on his heels, only to stop two steps further, his brow furrowed in reflection. He spun around, knocking once more.

It was Isabelle who opened the door again, but Alec was barely a few feet behind her, an eyebrow raised in puzzlement.

"Do you want to come over for dinner?" he blurted out, his eyes darting between the two of them. "Clary and Simon are coming and I've cooked enough to feed an army. I'm making Thai."

"Yeah, we'd love to," Isabelle answered for the both of them, her wide smile back on her lips. Alec just blinked at him from his spot behind his sister.

"Great," Magnus exclaimed happily. "See you in about an hour, then."

.

Clary and Simon were leaning against the kitchen counter, watching as Magnus busied himself with stirring the pan, quietly humming to himself when the doorbell rang.

"Biscuit, can you be a darling and open the door for me?" he asked without a glance at her, completely focus on his task.

"Are we expecting anyone else?" she inquired as she moved toward the door.

"I invited my neighbor and his sister, you know, the really hot ones?"

"Oh yeah," Simon chimed in, nodding carefully. "She was hot," he added with exaggerated emphasis on the word.

"There must be something special in their food," Magnus smirked.

Clary rolled her eyes and threw the door open, facing the Lightwood siblings with a smile.

"Hi! You're the one who slapped Jace," Isabelle exclaimed cheerfully, stepping forward.

"The one and only," Clary grinned, letting them in.

Magnus eyed them as they looked around the living room, watching carefully as Alec's blue eyes stopped on the huge world map next to the TV screen. He looked really uncomfortable and Magnus just couldn't have that. There was no way he would let someone like Alec feel uneasy in his apartment.

"Sam, offer a beer or some wine to our guests, would you?" he demanded, waving his wooden spoon at Simon.

"Who's Sam?" Isabelle asked, raising a confused eyebrow. "I thought it was Simon."

Simon's mouth fell open in surprise, probably wondering how someone that was so out of his league could remember his name. "Y-Yeah, it is," he blurted out before clearing his throat to try to appear composed. "It's just something he does," he added, pointing an accusing finger at Magnus, holding a beer to Alec with his other hand. "He pretends he doesn't remember my name to drive me insane. He's a bad person, you should stay away from him."

Magnus smirked, taking a sip of his wine glass nonchalantly and turned the oven off, twisting around to look at his guests.

"Bitch, I'm fabulous."

Simon snorted, unable to hold the fond smile on his lips.

.

After dinner, which had been delicious if Isabelle's recurring swearing was anything to go by, they settled in Magnus's living room while their host stood on his balcony to smoke a cigarette. He offered one to Alec, who nodded sheepishly and followed him outside, carefully ignoring his sister's preying eyes. Fortunately, she didn't say anything to him but instead turned toward Clary.

"So, what did Jace do to you?" she blurted out bluntly.

Alec let Magnus light his cigarette but kept a curious eye on the redhead who was leaning against one of the couch casually.

"Didn't he tell you?" Clary asked instead of answering, crossing her arms over her chest protectively.

"He said he didn't know what he did," Alec replied from the balcony, shrugging.

"He didn't – what?" the redhead exclaimed loudly, clear surprise on her face.

Magnus scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I'm starting to really dislike this Jace."

"How come you remember his name when you don't even like him?" Simon growled from where he was standing in front of Magnus's vinyl collection. He chose one and put it on the record player. It was Etta James.

"You know I love you no matter what your name is, Scott," Magnus smirked, taking a long puff of his cigarette.

"You're a terrible person," Simon grunted back, shaking his head disbelievingly.

"Jace is not that bad," Alec cut in protectively, frowning lightly. "Sure, he can be a dick but he's a good person."

Clary snorted dryly, her brow furrowed in irritation. "Well, he wasn't a good person to me."

"Hey, you're the one who never called him back," Isabelle retorted, sporting the same expression as her brother across the room.

In their protective attitudes, they looked more alike than ever, faces scrunched in annoyance. Isabelle stood tall on her feet, hands on her hips in a defensive posture while Alec had his arms crossed, his right hand still holding the cigarette as he nodded in agreement with his sister.

"What?" Clary protested loudly, bewildered. "Is that what he told you? He never called me!"

Alec's frown intensified. "He said he did."

"Well, maybe he lied to you," Clary insisted, roughly putting her beer bottle down on the coffee cable.

"Hey now," Magnus exclaimed. "That poor table did nothing to you. It's mahogany!"

Alec couldn't help but snort, watching his neighbor next to him, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Jace wouldn't lie to us," Isabelle argued, the feisty spark back in her dark eyes.

"Maybe he was ashamed," Clary replied stubbornly, "and he didn't want you to judge him."

"We've seen him in every shameful situation you could imagine," Alec stated, his calm temper a striking contrast to her sister's fire. "Trust me, he wouldn't lie to us out of shame."

"Look, I don't know," Clary sighed, slumping back on the couch. "All I know is that we hooked up, I gave him my number and I never heard from him again."

She sounded defeated, almost sad and out of the corner of his eye, Alec saw Magnus put out his cigarette and stand taller on his feet, shifting on his feet like her pain was affecting him directly. He wondered if it was just because it was his sister or if he was like that with everyone, absorbing the sorrow around him like it was his. Alec knew how dangerous it was to feel too much that way.

"I'm sure there's a decent explanation," Magnus put out reasonably, clearing his throat uneasily.

It was a strange look on him. He looked uncomfortable and Alec didn't know him very well but he had never seen him like that.

"Maybe you gave him the wrong number," Simon suggested.

"I know my own number, Simon," Clary growled back, "and I wasn't drunk."

She cleared her throat and in barely a second, she was looking back up, a wide smile playing on her lips.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter," she exclaimed more cheerfully. "I don't really care about some guy I hooked up with at a party a month ago."

Even Alec could tell that was a vicious lie but none of them argued. He darted his eyes to Magnus, who was back to his usual confident and charming self.

.

"Since when do you smoke?" Isabelle asked as soon as they were back in his apartment, out of earshot.

Alec let out a deep sigh, nervously biting his lip.

"I don't," he breathed out. "I-I panicked."

Isabelle raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

"The other day, I went out on the balcony to get some fresh air and Magnus was there smoking and he offered me a cigarette and I-I just said yes," he explained, looking annoyed with himself.

Isabelle took one hard long look at him and burst into laughter, her hair flying over her shoulders as she threw her head back.

"This is priceless!" she exclaimed, amused tears rising to her dark eyes.

"What?" Alec grumbled crankily.

"You started smoking because you lost your shit when a hot guy offered you a cigarette."

"This has nothing to do with him being hot," he lied loudly, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"Yes, it does," Isabelle giggled. "You always forget how to function in front of hot guys."

Alec flipped her off and decided that cross his arms and pout was the grown-up thing to do.

.

Alec was coming home from work a week later, his arms full of books and copies that needed to be graded. He put everything on his kitchen table and jumped when he turned to the sink to wash his hands and found his neighbor's cat sitting in his sink, staring at him with bored eyes.

He snorted and moved forward gently. Chairman Meow sniffed his hand before bumping his head lightly against it with a tiny whine. He picked the kitten up and he went out the corridor to knock on Magnus's door.

His neighbor threw the door open barely seconds later and Alec froze in shock. He was wearing yoga pants and a very tight tank top that was stuck to his brown skin with sweat, leaving no room for imagination. Alec had to shake his head to get his mind out of the gutter when Magnus beamed at him.

"Chairman!" he exclaimed and moved forward to get his cat out of Alec's arms.

His sudden proximity was very disturbing.

"Uhm. He was sitting in my kitchen when I got home from work," he explained poorly, nervously scratching a hand behind his head.

"How did you get there?" Magnus cooed joyfully, holding the cat in his arms to look in his eyes, before turning to Alec. "Sorry about that."

"No problem," Alec answered, gulping laboriously.

He started walking back to his own apartment when Magnus's voice brought him to a halt.

"Wait! Alexander!"

Alec frowned and turned back toward him, narrowing his eyes. "How do you know my full name?"

Magnus smirked at him. "I got your mail by mistake. Come in!"

Magnus turned around, motioning for him to follow and Alec obliged sheepishly. He did not stare at his neighbor's ass when he bended over to put the kitten on the floor. Chairman Meow immediately crawled under the couch trying to catch something eagerly. There was a yoga mat lying next to the couch, which explained his neighbor's sporty outfit and Alec did not let himself imagine what Magnus looked like while training. The latter walked to the coffee table, grabbing a couple of envelops and held them to Alec with a smile.

"There you go!"

"Thank you," Alec answered, shifting nervously on his feet.

"Do you want a coffee? Tea? That's the least I can do to thank you for bringing the Chairman back," Magnus asked and Alec wondered if his mind was imagining the flirtatious undertone of his voice.

"Coffee would be nice," he found himself saying.

Magnus nodded cheerfully and moved swiftly to the kitchen to switch the coffee machine on. It occurred to Alec that he was staring but there was something fascinating about the way Magnus moved, his long and lean body traveling in space with a grace that reminded him of a feline. He moved like every step had a purpose and it was captivating.

Soon, he was holding out a fuming mug to Alec, who welcomed it gratefully. He couldn't help the pleased noise at the back of his throat when he swallowed.

"Shit, that's good coffee," he blurted out, looking down at his mug like it was a mystery.

"Straight from Colombia," Magnus smirked, taking a sip of his own coffee. "I have a friend there who sends it to me every month."

"Perks of having friends all around the globe, I suppose," Alec replied with a soft smile. "Is your tea from England?"

There was a clear amusement in his tone that seemed to delight Magnus because he grinned that particular smile of his that was so kind and warm.

"Nope, India," he retorted jokingly, winking at him over his mug.

Alec flushed. "Did you really go to all these places?" he asked, clearing his throat to appear composed. He was pointing at the big world map spread on the wall next to the TV screen. A myriad of colorful tacks were fixed on every continent.

Magnus nodded thoughtfully, a pensive spark in his gaze as he eyed the atlas drawing.

"I wished I had travel that much," Alec admitted cautiously, stepping forward to get a better look.

"It's great," Magnus confirmed, "until it gets lonely."

"Did you miss your family?"

"My family, of course, from the beginning," his neighbor looked lost in thought for a moment. "But after a while, you start missing other things that you wouldn't even think about. Food, for example. You don't find burgers like the ones in New York anywhere."

Alec smiled. "Then, you start missing familiar places," Magnus went on and there was nostalgia in his tone. "I don't think I realized how much I had missed New York until I moved in here and saw that view. I've seen the most amazing mountains, lakes, deserts… I've seen some gorgeous places that literally took my breath away but it wasn't… familiar. It wasn't home."

"How long were you gone?" Alec asked gently.

There was a hint of sadness in the man's eyes that made him shift on his feet awkwardly. He wanted to reach out, to take his hand or just touch him to bring him some comfort. He had never been a demonstrative person and he usually avoided contact with people he weren't closed to as much as possible. Yet, Magnus was such a shining personality, always smiling, always happy that the melancholic vulnerability he was showing now was almost enough for Alec to forget about his usual reluctance.

"Five years," Magnus answered, clearing his throat and shaking his head.

It wasn't enough to bring the smile back on his face, to Alec's great disarray.

"Why did you leave?" he asked in spite of himself.

Not for the first time, Magnus had caught his interest and he wanted to know more, wanted to know everything his neighbor would let him.

"Oh, that's a boring story," Magnus dismissed with an exaggerated wave. "A story for another time with hopefully a lot of alcohol."

Alec chuckled. Just like that, the smile was back on his face and he had to restrain a relieved sigh.

"I was going to watch Moonrise Kingdom and order sushi," Magnus continued cheerfully. "Do you want to join me?"

"Sure," Alec found himself saying. "Let me just go take a quick shower and I'll be right back."

"Yeah, I'm going to do that to," Magnus smiled. "I will fight anyone who says yoga is not a real sport."

Alec laughed, finishing his coffee in one long sip, before going back to his apartment.

.

So, maybe Alec found himself two weeks later going down to the grocery shop in the corner to go buy cigarettes just so he could have an excuse to hang on his balcony even when the first days of November had arrived and it was freezing cold outside. He was just coming back from his evening run when the thought had crossed his mind and he had stepped inside the shop before thinking twice about it.

Alec felt really stupid, especially since Magnus was not single. His relationship with Raphael was weird, distant and didn't seem very healthy to him but he was no one to judge his neighbor's choices in love when he had himself been single for too long.

Back in his building, he stepped into the elevator, lost in thought. He frowned even more when the doors opened and he was greeted by the sight of Magnus trying to force his own door, swearing under his breath.

"Magnus? You okay?" he asked carefully, tilting his head to take a better look at him.

His hair was completely tousled and his blood orange shirt was rumpled. Magnus swayed on his feet, twisting around to face him. His green eyes were bloodshot and unfocused.

"I am very, very drunk," he replied slowly, like he was double checking his sentence actually made any sense. "And you are very sweaty," he added, eyeing him up and down with clouded eyes.

Alec shifted on his feet. "I just went for a run," he explained awkwardly.

"Oh, it wasn't a critic," Magnus smirked a flirtatious grin. "I like the sweaty look on you."

Alec felt his cheeks burn and cleared his throat in an effort to conceal it, not that his neighbor was sober enough to really notice anyway.

"What are you doing out in the hallway?" Alec asked quickly, figuring changing the subject was probably a smart move.

"I forgot my keys at Raphael's and my spare set is inside, obviously," Magnus slurred with a pout.

It was cute, Alec thought before mentally chastising himself. He needed to get it together. The guy was literally coming back from his boyfriend's place.

"And Raphael is an asshole and he doesn't want to bring them to me so I'm stuck outside," he went on, leaning against the wall for balance.

Alec turned his key in his door. "Come in," he offered softly. "Let's get you some water."

"Oh, awesome!" Magnus exclaimed cheerfully, following him inside. "Maybe I can climb over your balcony to get my keys! I left the door open!"

"You are not climbing anything with the level of alcohol in your blood right now," Alec deadpanned.

"Oh come on, I'm sure it could be funny," Magnus contested, pointing a blue-nailed finger at him.

"It won't be when you fall and I have to explain to your family how you died."

"Just tell them I want my epitaph to say "I believe I can fly"," Magnus chimed in tipsily.

Alec had to laugh at that. He forced Magnus to sit on the kitchen table, his long legs wiggling in the empty space. Alec poured him a tall glass of water.

"Drink up," he ordered and Magnus obliged cooperatively.

He watched silently as the man downed the water, his Adam's apple bobbing in a way that shouldn't have been so distracting. Alec darted his eyes away when his neighbor put the glass down loudly.

"There!" he exclaimed. "All sober now!"

Alec snorted in answer but turned back serious when Magnus rose to his feet clumsily, walking straight to the balcony.

"I can go climb that balcony now!"

Alec grabbed his arm firmly, not enough to hurt but strong enough to forbid him to take one more step.

"No, you're not," he growled resolutely, in a tone that he sometimes used with his students to avoid any negotiation when they complained about homework.

"But Chairman Meow is inside," Magnus argued, pouting slightly. "We can't leave him there to die, Alexander. We can't!"

"Fine but I'll go," Alec yielded, rolling his eyes at his neighbor's exaggerated worry.

They were both on the balcony now and he took Magnus by his shoulders to position him against the barrier.

"Do not move," he ordered, looking at him straight in the eye.

"I like that bossy side of you, Alexander," Magnus replied with a teasing smirk. "It's hot."

Alec blushed again but turned his back to Magnus to climb the low wall that separated their balconies. It wasn't very high, so he just had to put his weight on his arms and jump swiftly to get on the other side.

"I'm sure your boyfriend would appreciate that," he grunted, luckily landing on his feet. He went straight for the door, pushing it open.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Magnus mumbled.

"Where is your spare set of keys?" Alec asked, not too keen on the idea of discussing his neighbor's love life.

He leaned back against the barrier, looking straight at him with clouded eyes.

"Key hook in the hallway."

Alec immediately crossed the living room, finding the spare set exactly where Magnus had said it would be. Chairman Meow was napping on the couch and opened his eyes to stare at him for a second, promptly going back to sleep. His life didn't seem to be in danger.

He found Magnus precisely where he had left him, leaning against the balcony barrier and he stretched his arm out over the wall that separated their balconies to hold him the keys. Magnus did not budge one inch.

"Magnus," he called out, shaking the keys in front of his eyes.

"You said not to move and I wouldn't want to give you any reason to punish me," his neighbor teased, his arms crossed over his chest in a relaxed posture.

Alec's cheeks burned again and he was certain that his blush went from his neck to the tip of his ears. He shook his head disbelievingly, sliding the keys in his pocket.

"Oh my God," he groaned. "I can't believe you just said that."

He jumped back to the other side of the wall, landing in front of Magnus who looked like he was about to burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry," he giggled, "but you're so easy to wind up."

Alec narrowed his eyes at him, dropping the key in his hand. "I should have left you outside to sober up."

Magnus gaped at him, faking hurt. "You would never."

"I will next time," Alec grumbled crankily and it only made his neighbor laugh again.

It was a sound he wouldn't mind getting used to.

.

* * *

 **Sooo, did anyone else died when Alec said Magnus's line? Because I sure fucking did!**

 **I am thus writing you from my grave to let you know that next chapter will be posted on Friday.**  
 **Here's your cookie:**  
 _ **"Twenty bucks that she slaps him again," Alec whispered next to him.**_  
 _ **He was leaning over the wall to get a better look at the quarrel and Magnus could smell that divine cologne of his. It did funny things to his stomach.**_  
 _ **"Thirty says they start making out instead," Magnus replied breathlessly.**_

 **I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, do let me know ;).**

 **All the love,**  
 **L.**


	3. SOS

**Hello lovelies,**

 **You've been so amazing with all the reviews and favorites that I decided to post the chapter earlier than planned as a reward.**  
 **Thank you so much for all the amazing support! 3**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

" _Now something so sad has hold of us that the breath leaves and we can't even cry._ "  
― Charles Bukowski

.

"I swear, Alec, I think I'm cursed!"

Magnus raised an eyebrow. There was shouting coming from his balcony. Next to him, Clary suddenly went very still and it took him a moment to recognize the voice as Jace's. They were slouched on his couch, watching a rerun of American Idol and bitching about the candidates while drinking wine like they did every Sunday afternoon when the voice had echoed in his apartment.

"Why does this kind of things keep happening to me?" Jace went on frantically.

"Because you're an idiot," Alec's voice deadpanned.

Magnus snorted.

"Fuck off," Jace replied heatedly but there was no real anger behind it. "I don't know why I tell you anything."

"Because you need someone to keep you grounded."

"Oh, don't act so innocent," Jace growled. "We both remember the time you got so drunk you started yelling at tourists in Time Square about how unfair it was that Captain America was so hot."

Magnus scoffed, rising to his feet to walk toward his balcony, and even Clary laughed, muffling the noise by taking a sip of wine.

"You promised you would never bring that up again," Alec cried back, sounding properly betrayed.

"Well, Captain America is indeed very hot," Magnus cut in, leaning against the door to stare at the fighting siblings on the adjacent balcony, casually taking a sip of his glass of wine.

Jace was sporting a nasty black eye.

Alec flushed a delicious shade of red and glared at his brother. "I hate you."

"You deserved it," Jace retorted stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Hi Magnus."

"Hi boys," he replied with a smirk. "This is all very entertaining but you're loud and we're trying to watch TV."

"Well, I'm trying to talk some sense into my back-stabbing brother but he's being difficult," Jace grunted back.

"I'm not being difficult," Alec protested, his eyes wide with incredulity, before turning to face Magnus. "He's mad at me because I don't feel sorry for him for getting punched by a guy for hitting on his girlfriend."

"I wasn't hitting on her!" Jace argued loudly. "She was hitting on me!"

"Details," Alec commented with a roll of his eyes.

"You're the worst," his brother almost whined, narrowing his eyes in exasperation.

"I love you too."

Jace was about to answer but cut himself off when Clary appeared in his sight, standing behind her brother. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Clary!" he exclaimed with what sounded a lot like relief.

She didn't reply but turned on her heels to go back inside.

"Clary, wait!" Jace yelled, leaning over the wall to keep sight of her.

She didn't turn around but sat back on the couch, purposely ignoring him.

Magnus did not see it coming when the blonde turned to look desperately at his brother, who just shrugged in answer, and jumped over the wall that separated their balconies in a swift motion, immediately running inside Magnus's apartment.

He gaped at the blonde's back and sent a shocked look to Alec.

"I'm so sorry," his neighbor sighed before adding louder, "Jace, get back here! You can't just break into my neighbor's apartment!"

"Clary," Jace repeated, completely ignoring his brother. "Please talk to me. I swear I tried to call you!"

There was such despair in his voice that Magnus didn't dare intervene and throw him out. Somehow, he thought that there must be more to this story than just an asshole not calling his sister back.

"No, you didn't!" Clary retorted and she refused to look up at him but Magnus could see the fire dancing in her green eyes.

"Twenty bucks that she slaps him again," Alec whispered next to him.

He was leaning over the wall to get a better look at the quarrel and Magnus could smell that divine cologne of his. It did funny things to his stomach.

"Thirty says they start making out instead," Magnus replied breathlessly. "Do you maybe want to come to this side? That can't be comfortable," he added, pointing at his stretched out neck.

Alec snorted but did jump over the wall, joining his neighbor on his side of the balcony.

"Yes, I did," Jace yelled back, opening his arms in a bewildered gesture. "I called and I texted and you never replied!"

"Stop lying!" Clary shouted, rising to her feet to glare at him.

She was significantly smaller than him but he still took a step back.

"Wise decision," Magnus commented lowly and he lit a cigarette, holding his lighter out to Alec, who did the same.

"Get your twenty bucks ready," his neighbor replied on the same tone, smoke coming out of his mouth as he did.

"I'm not lying!" Jace protested.

He paused for a second, looking about to lose his mind. Suddenly, his face lit up, like he had had the best idea of his life and he started stumbling in his pockets.

"I can prove it to you!" he blurted out, getting his phone out.

He seemed to hesitate before moving forward, his fingers dancing over the screen. After a few seconds, he set the phone under Clary's nose.

"See?" he exclaimed loudly. "I texted you! You never replied!"

Clary squinted her eyes at the screen and Magnus watched as she read the texts, examining them carefully.

"I think I'm about to win," he murmured to Alec, taking a long drag on his cigarette.

"Oh, don't underestimate my brother's stupidity," he whispered back.

After a while, Clary's face softened slightly. Magnus didn't know what the texts said but it looked like it managed to lessen her anger. At least, for about three seconds. She did a double take, glaring at the screen again before she raised a fiery glance to Jace who took a protective step back. It was a mistake because it gave her all the room she needed to hold her hand up and slam it hard across his face.

"Are you kidding me?" she yelled. "Do you think this is funny?"

Magnus groaned, fumbling in his pockets to hold a twenty dollars bill to Alec.

"Thank you very much," his neighbor said with a cheeky smile. "It's always a pleasure doing business with you."

"What?" Jace shouted when the shock of being slapped again went away. "Stop slapping me for God's sake! What did I do now? I did text you, you saw it yourself!"

"You didn't text me," the redhead roared back. "You texted someone named Claire. My name is Clary!"

Taken aback, Jace looked down at his phone, his eyes widening comically as he realized she was right.

"Shit," he exclaimed, putting emphasis on the vowel.

Magnus had to bite his lip to prevent himself from laughing. Next to him, Alec shook his head exasperatedly.

"So stupid," he grumbled to himself, but it was softened by obvious fondness. "I swear they dropped him on his head as a baby."

Magnus chuckled.

"Look, Clary, I'm sorry. I swear I meant to text you," Jace said, his tone genuinely apologetic and his eyes fixed on nothing but the redhead. "We had such a good time that night and I haven't stopped thinking about you since then. Please let me make it up to you!"

Clary crossed her arms protectively over her chest, stubbornly darting her eyes away from him. Jace took a brave step forward, tilting his head to catch her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, nearly a whisper. "Let me buy you a drink or dinner or both. Anything you want."

Magnus hid his smile behind his wine glass.

"Does planning a date means I won?" he asked, turning his gaze to Alec.

"Nope," he replied resolutely but there was a small smile playing on his lips. "You lost, get over it."

"You're such a buzz kill," he grumbled.

"So I've been told," Alec answered blankly, his expression emotionless except for the tiny twitch of his lips.

"Well, those tourists in Time Square might think differently," he teased, biting his lip not to laugh.

Alec groaned loudly, dropping his head in his hands. "I hate him."

Magnus burst into laughter, turning his head back toward the couple in his living room just in time to see Clary nod slowly.

.

Magnus was a sociable person. He always had been. He took basically any opportunity to meet new people and his contact list was full of people from all horizons spread all across the globe. He never judged anyone, especially not for their eccentricities. He was an open person so it wasn't such a surprise that he never locked the door of his apartment. Jocelyn and Luke often scolded at him for it, reminding him that he lived in New York, which could be a dangerous city, and not in a quiet little suburban town where everyone knew their neighbors. He just replied stubbornly that he indeed knew his neighbors. Alec aside, he had met the other two who lived on their floor.

The apartment across the hall from his was owned by a man in his mid-thirties who worked on Wall Street and was very good-looking but incredibly dull while the last one was occupied by a young couple who had just moved in New York from Los Angeles. They claimed to be both actors but Magnus had never seen them in anything so he didn't if that was just a lie or a hopeful dream.

So Magnus knew his neighbors and they were nice enough that he didn't feel bad about leaving his door unlocked. It was easier, especially as Raphael, Simon and Clary regularly came to his apartment uninvited to hang out with him or watch a game (that was more Raphael) because they didn't have cable TV. It was surprising, though, when his door burst open one night and neither one of them came stumbling in.

He had invited a friend over and by a friend, he meant a potential one-night stand that he would most likely never see again after that night and they had been about to finally get to the interesting part when they were interrupted by the noise. He twisted his head around from where he had been sitting on the couch, his date of the night hovering above him, and raised an eyebrow in confusion when Isabelle appeared in the entrance, tripping over her own feet.

"Magnus!" she exclaimed happily when she saw him, before darting her eyes to his guest. "And… you!"

She was very drunk.

"What are you doing in my brother's apartment?" she asked cheerfully, like it was the best news of her day. "Are we having a party? Yay!"

She threw her arms in the air enthusiastically and Magnus almost felt sorry to burst her bubble.

"You're not in Alec's apartment, sweetheart," he stated softly, rising to his feet to meet her. "This is my apartment."

She burst out laughing and punched his shoulder like he had just told her the best joke of the year. He flinched. She was much stronger than she looked.

"No, it's not!" she giggled. "Where's Alec?"

Magnus looked down at his watch to check the time. "I think he's still out. He said he had a date with some guy called… Eric? Ethan? Can't remember."

"Boo!" she exclaimed loudly, giving him a thumb down. "It's Edward."

She started giggling again, leaning in to whisper in his ear as if she had a great secret to tell him. "Do you think he sparkles under the sun?"

Magnus snorted, gently grabbing her arm to prevent her from swaying on her feet. "I hope not. I quite like that brother of yours, I wouldn't want him to get eaten by a vampire."

"You should totally date my brother," she blurted out bluntly.

Magnus gaped at her but didn't bother answering, turning an apologetic glance to his date, who was now sitting on his couch awkwardly.

"Who's that?" Isabelle asked, pointing a finger at the poor guy.

"Uhm, this is Axel. Axel, this is Isabelle. She's my neighbor's sister."

Axel nodded sheepishly, trying to make himself look smaller under Isabelle's fierce gaze.

"How do you know my brother, Axel?" she inquired, crossing her arms in a posture that would have been ten times more intimidating if she hadn't been so intoxicated.

"I-I don't," he stammered, looking more confused at every minute that passed.

"Then why are you in his apartment?"

She sounded almost mad, her eyes burning with a fierce protectiveness, and Magnus had to bite his lip not to start laughing.

"Izzy, this is not Alec's apartment," he repeated softly. "This is mine."

This time, she seemed to hear him because she looked around, taking in the unfamiliar setting.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," she said eventually. "Alec would have asked me for advice if he wanted to redecorate. He's terrible with stuff like that."

He wondered if he should just ask her for Alec's number and call him to ask him to come get his sister but he found himself pondering if it was the right thing to do. Alec was on a date and so had been Magnus, technically, but his was ruined anyway because by the time it would take for his neighbor to come and get Isabelle, it would be too late. He darted his eyes away to Axel, who was staring at the ground with his marvelous blue eyes.

"Oh, Izzy, you're going to owe me so much," he whispered to her, before turning to face his date. "I'm sorry," he sighed, "you should go. I can't exactly kick her out when she's in that state."

Axel nodded, rising to his feet. "I understand. I'll call you."

He leaned forward, lightly pecking him on the lips and left.

"Good riddance!" Isabelle nearly shouted as soon as he was out. "He was no fun. What's the matter with him?"

Magnus rolled his eyes. "We were finally getting to the good part of that dating thing when you decided to rudely interrupt."

Isabelle just shrugged and starting rummaging through her purse.

"I'm going to call Alec," she announced solemnly.

He snatched the phone out of her hands as soon as she found it and she started protesting loudly, so he settled for taking her by the shoulders to sit her on the couch.

"Nope, you're not. I'm calling him because if you do, he's just going to panic with how drunk you sound."

He switched the phone on and there was already a text from Alec waiting, so he opened it. Screw intimacy, he thought. After all, she had just cockblocked him.

 _S.O.S._ , the text simply said and he raised an eyebrow, glancing back at Isabelle.

"Why did he send you an S.O.S?" he asked.

"Oh, that's our super sibling secret code if we are on a disastrous date," she slurred, slowly closing her eyes. "It means I have to call him and provide an excuse so he can escape."

And just like that, she was asleep. He rolled his eyes. Well, the excuse was already found.

He dialed Alec's number, smiling in spite of himself at the picture that appeared on the screen. It was taken from the side, his gaze lost in space, his blue eyes shining with amusement. There was light stubble on his chin and cheeks and Magnus thought, not for the first time, it was really unfair that he combined every single one of his weaknesses.

"What took you so long?" Alec whispered, picking up at the first ringtone. "I'm dying here!"

"Uhm, it's Magnus," he replied.

"Magnus?" Alec exclaimed and he sounded genuinely surprised, not that he could blame him, he was surprised himself. "Why are you calling me with Izzy's phone?"

Magnus launched himself in a thorough explanation of everything that had happened, from Izzy stumbling in his apartment to her falling asleep on his couch. For some reason he didn't want to explore, he left out the fact that he had not been alone when she had arrived. When he was done, Alec let out a deep breath.

"Is she okay?"

Magnus took a look at the sleeping Lightwood on his couch. "Yeah. She's snoring."

"I swear to God, my siblings are going to be the death of me," he growled and he sounded sincerely annoyed.

"Well, you needed a way out anyway, didn't you?" Magnus asked in an effort to try to lighten his mood.

"Yeah," Alec sighed. "I really, really did. I'll be right there."

"Okay, see you then."

"Magnus!" Alec called out as he was about to hung up.

"Yeah?"

"If she wakes up, don't let her find your lighter!" he exclaimed loudly.

"What?"

"When she's drunk, she gets a bit pyromaniac," Alec explained sheepishly. "Also, she has no brain-to-mouth filter so don't pay attention to whatever she says. She might try to sleep with you, too."

And he promptly hung up, leaving Magnus to glare accusingly at the phone.

Isabelle stirred twenty minutes later and she opened her eyes slowly. She looked around, probably wondering where she was, and her eyes fell on Magnus who was focused on the TV, sitting next to her, casually smoking a cigarette.

"Magnus!" she beamed at him, making him jump.

He hastily put out his cigarette, remembering her brother's warning.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, holding her the glass of water he had prepared earlier.

"Marvelous!" she grinned. She took a sip of water and grimaced. "That's not vodka!" She glared at him accusingly, like he had betrayed her.

"No, sweetheart, that's water. I promise it won't make you rust," Magnus replied with a light smirk.

"Oh come on," she growled. "You're supposed to be the fun one! Where's the tequila?"

"I hate tequila," Magnus answered, shaking his head no. That was a filthy lie. He _loved_ tequila. "So, do you want to tell me why you got so drunk?"

Isabelle smiled at him, a flirtatious smirk that didn't reach her eyes. She put her hand on his shoulder and leaned forward. Magnus was not impressed. He had seen much better diversion techniques in his life.

"Now, don't you think we could do something much more fun?" she asked, twirling a strand of her dark hair on her fingers.

"Nope," he replied casually, taking her hand away to put it on her lap. "I can't think of anything more entertaining than you telling me why you got so plastered that you stumbled into my apartment instead of your brother's."

That seemed to sober her up because the smile vanished from her lips and suddenly, she was miles away from him, her dark brown eyes lost into space. She started moving her fingers nervously and he wondered if maybe he shouldn't have asked.

"It's just that time of the year," she whispered and she didn't sound so drunk anymore.

He wanted to ask but restrained himself. Whatever it was, it didn't seem like anything happy and he didn't want to make her spill her secrets when she had no control over herself. He didn't want to make her say anything she could regret the next day.

She started rubbing her hand against the tattoo on her right arm, the one she shared with her brothers. Suddenly, her eyes filled with unshed tears and he had no idea what to do, his mouth falling open in surprise. He leaned forward to take her hand with obvious worry.

"Isabelle, I'm sorry," he said softly. "You don't have to tell me."

"It's just that time of the year," she repeated and there was so much sadness in her tone that it broke his heart.

The front door opened loudly and seconds later, Alec was kneeling in front of her, taking the hand that Magnus wasn't already holding in his.

"Izzy, are you okay?" he asked and there was so much care in his voice, so much love, so much humanity that Magnus wanted to kiss him right there. It wasn't exactly the best time.

It was even less when Isabelle burst into tears, launching herself at her brother to hide her face against his neck. Alec closed his eyes and held her tightly, gently murmuring in her ear as his fingers stroked her hair gently. She hadn't let go of Magnus's hand and he squeezed back, trying to send her all the comfort he could convey.

She started mumbling inaudible words and Alec was whispering "I know" repeatedly, shushing her softly. Eventually, she fell asleep again, chanting a name like an agonizing litany. _Max_.

Alec laid her gently on the couch, careful not to wake her. Magnus went to his bedroom to grab a blanket. When he came back to the living room, Alec was sitting on the other couch, his head in his hand. Magnus wrapped the blanket over Isabelle's body and she seemed so small, all curled up, her face still sporting the track of her tears that a lump formed in his throat.

There was something awful about seeing someone usually so strong look so vulnerable. He hated it. He had always hated watching people fall while he was powerless to catch them.

"Alec," he whispered softly.

His neighbor looked up and he seemed so tired all of a sudden, exhaustion evident on his features that Magnus felt his heart clench painfully in his chest.

"Balcony," he added, tilting his head toward the window.

Alec followed him outside and took the cigarette Magnus held out to him without a word, leaning against the barrier. He was so close but he looked so far away, his gaze lost in the horizon. Magnus didn't ask, didn't talk. He allowed him the time he needed. Eventually, Alec sighed, taking a long drag of his cigarette and watching as the smoke vanished into thin air.

"It's just that time of the year," he sighed and Magnus was taken aback by the hurt in his voice, pure, incredible, rough sadness.

"That's what Isabelle said but I can't say that I understand," Magnus said lowly, his whole body leaning toward Alec in comfort. "It's okay if you don't want to explain, though."

Alec nodded and managed to let out a small smile, turning his head to look at him.

"Max was our brother," he eventually breathed out.

Past tense.

Magnus flinched. He knew what loss felt like. He understood the unbearable ache in your chest that left you breathless and powerless to do anything about it. He knew how it could rip you apart and steal a part of you that you would never get back. And he could see exactly that in Alec's stunning blue eyes.

"He was the youngest," Alec went on, his gaze lost in space again. "He died. It's his birthday next week. He would have been sixteen."

His sentences were broken by his shallow breathing. He scratched his brow nervously, turning his head to glance back at his sleeping sister.

"She took it the hardest," he sighed and he looked wretched. "We all did but Izzy… she's an uncompromising person. She doesn't know how to control her own emotions. She just… feels everything stronger than most people."

Magnus nodded understandingly. He had been struck by the fire in her the first time he had met her. It didn't come as a surprise that she was just as intense in pain as she was in happiness.

"I'm sorry," Magnus breathed out.

He had never understood why people apologized for another's grief. It was not like they could do anything about it. He had heard it many times, people apologizing for a loss that wasn't theirs, which they could not begin to understand. After his father had died, it had even made him irrationally angry at times. Somehow, in that moment, he couldn't find anything else to say.

Alec smiled at him, a weak, barely visible smile that didn't reach his eyes. "That's life, isn't it?"

There was fatality in his voice but also an underlined casual tone, like he had repeated the words over and over until they had eventually become a sad habit of his.

"Death being part of life doesn't erase the pain," Magnus whispered.

Alec shrugged but didn't answer. He had never been the most joyful person Magnus had met. He was bashful, closed off but he had witness his neighbor opening up, mostly when he talked about his job or his siblings when they would meet on their balconies in the evening to smoke a cigarette. Right now, he seemed more shut off than ever, miles away from Magnus. He could see him trying to appear collected but there was thunder battling in his eyes, an unfathomable sorrow than Magnus could relate to deeply. He didn't expect to be so affected by the man's pain. After all, he had only met him a couple of months ago.

For all his apparent eccentricities and socializing, Magnus didn't get attached easily. He liked people, he liked to mingle but it never went much further than gossiping partners or partying companions. Friendship was a big word, something he didn't give away easily. Being friendly and being friends were too very different things and he found himself thinking that if he wanted too, he would happily categorize Alec in the second category. Maybe that was why he wanted so badly to make him smile again, to witness once more the way his stunning blue eyes lit up when he grinned, his dimples fully on display. Maybe it was because Alec never looked more beautiful than when he smiled, too, but that was another entirely selfish reason.

"So, that S.O.S. text seemed pretty pressing," Magnus eventually said, a small but gracious smirk playing on his lips. "Did your date try to eat you or something?"

"Eat me?" Alec repeated incredulously.

"Izzy made a joke about him being called Edward and sparkling under the sun," Magnus eluded, teasing.

Alec snorted, shaking his head in fondness as he took a look back at his still sleeping sister.

"It was a disaster," he uttered, careful not to speak too loudly.

"What happened?"

"Well, it was going pretty well until we got interrupted… by his girlfriend," Alec announced almost dramatically and there was a small twitch on his lips that showed that he could joke about it.

Magnus made a surprise noise at the back of his throat. "Isn't he… gay?"

"I thought so," his neighbor answered, "until she turned up. Apparently, she didn't know about his I-like-to-suck-dick tendencies because he made it look like I was one of his work pals. He went on full "no homo" mode. So I just sat there and watched."

Magnus couldn't hold back a grimace but Alec chuckled slightly.

"He reminded me of me before I came out," he continued. "I dated that girl, Lydia, during my high school years. I thought it was normal that I wasn't really… attracted to her until I developed the biggest crush on my History teacher."

"Is that why you became a History teacher yourself?" Magnus teased. "Because it reminded you of your first love?"

Alec scoffed indignantly. "He wasn't my first love, just my first crush."

There was a slight blush on his cheeks and Magnus observed him quietly for a second, narrowing his eyes to look at him properly because he gasped audibly, pointing an accusing finger at his neighbor.

"You totally lost your virginity with your History teacher!" Magnus exclaimed, laughing.

Alec flushed harder, the blush spreading out from his neck to the tip of his ears. "Shut up," he growled but there was not real heat behind it. "I was eighteen, he was handsome. I didn't know what I was doing."

"Oh, I'm not judging," Magnus clarified with an amused wink. "It's just surprising coming from you."

"Why? Because I look like a twenty-five year-old virgin?" Alec glared at him, crossing his arms over his chest in a defensive manner.

"Because you don't look like someone with an authority kink," Magnus replied with a teasing smirk.

Alec blushed again. "You're a terrible person."

There was something in his tone, though, a softness that contradicted his words.

"So I've been told," Magnus chuckled. "If it makes you feel any better, I lost mine in a hotel room shower in Amsterdam with a woman who was twice my age. It was the first time Luke let me travel alone and it was a wild week. I still don't know if she was a prostitute and I was so high I could have testified to being atheist with God as my witness."

Alec burst into laughter as it was such a relief to hear that sound again that Magnus couldn't help the satisfied smirk that took over his lips.

"It's really not surprising coming from you," he snickered, leaning against the balcony barrier to glance at Magnus.

"Why? Because I look like a drug addict?" Magnus echoed. "It was just weed. You can't go to Amsterdam and not smoke weed. It is the law."

Alec chuckled again and leaned forward, dropping his voice to a secretive and hoarse tone that did funny things to Magnus's stomach. "Because you look like someone with a shower kink," he breathed out, a cheeky smile bringing his lips up.

Magnus's mouth fell open and he found himself rendered speechless. Was he flirting with him? Not that he minded but Magnus had been flirting basically every day for two months and Alec had always given nothing to hold on in exchange but blushes and confused looks. It was his turn to be bewildered now. Alec was staring at him with mischievous eyes and Magnus just wanted to close the distance between them and kiss him until they were both breathless and lightheaded with desire.

The moment was broken when Alec cleared his throat and darted his eyes away awkwardly, almost shamefully, like he had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

The silence stretched between them, heavy and uncomfortable. Eventually, it was Alec who broke it.

"Thank you for taking care of her," he said, glancing back inside at the sleeping figure of his sister. "You didn't have to."

"I wasn't going to throw her out of my apartment when she was in that state," Magnus replied gently. "And I like her."

"You still didn't have to. I'm sorry she interrupted your evening," Alec added anyway. "What were you doing by the way?"

Magnus shrugged. "Nothing important. This is nice too." And he meant it.

Alec turned back to look at him, observing him quietly for a while. He nodded in agreement.

Magnus wondered if he could read in his eyes how much he wanted to kiss him.

* * *

 **Sooo, what did you think? Any favorite (or not) parts?**  
 **Let me know!**

 **Thank you again for the support!**

 **Next chapter tomorrow!**

 **Here's your cookie:**  
 _ **Alec growled, darting his eyes to his sister who was suddenly very quiet. "Izzy!"**_  
 _ **"What?" she exclaimed defensively. "He asked!"**_  
 _ **"You didn't have to tell him!" Alec retorted, narrowing his eyes at her.**_  
 _ **"Have you seen his puppy eyes?" Isabelle protested loudly, pointing accusingly at Magnus, who nodded in agreement, looking very proud of himself. "I'm only human!"**_  
 _ **"Don't blame her," his neighbor chimed in, his smirk even wider than before. "No one is immune to my natural charm."**_

 **Friendly reminder that you can always come and cry about Malec with me on tumblr here**

 **All the love,**  
 **L.**


	4. Operation Malec

" _For you know that I myself am a labyrinth, where one easily gets lost._ "  
― Charles Perrault

.

Alec had never thought of himself as a bad person. Sure, he wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine, but he wasn't an asshole. He always helped old people carry their grocery shopping. He gave all the change he had on him to the homeless person sleeping in the park everyday when he went running. He had never cheated on any of his boyfriends, no matter how terrible they had been. He even recycled. All in all, he considered himself a pretty decent person.

And then, Magnus Bane had come stumbling into his life and he wasn't so sure anymore.

Firstly, he had started smoking regularly, which was a bad vice although it wasn't actually the reason why he questioned his integrity. The real reason was the very obvious, very growing, very disturbing crush he had developed for his neighbor. If the attraction had only been physical, Alec could have dismissed it as just that. The problem was that it wasn't just that.

Magnus was as handsome as he was kind and as sexy as he was caring. He was exciting, interesting, intelligent and independent. Basically, he was everything Alec had always looked for in a man. Everything but single.

So, that was it. Alec had a huge crush on his very much taken neighbor and it forced him to question everything he had ever known about himself.

At first, he had tried to disregard it but he couldn't lie to himself anymore. They had been neighbors for five months and his crush hadn't diminished one bit, on the contrary. It kept growing every time he spent time with him, whether it was just a quiet chat on their balconies in the evening or a movie night in either of their apartments. He had had to stop himself a few times from just grabbing him and kissing him breathless.

He didn't understand Magnus's relationship with Raphael. They were striking contrasts, Raphael the perfect gloominess for Magnus's ecstatic happiness. They were always bickering and Alec had wondered once or twice if this was some weird form of foreplay between them but had never allowed himself to go deeper into that thought. He really didn't want to imagine his neighbor with his boyfriend.

Raphael came by Magnus's apartment at least twice a week and Alec usually chose these moments to go run in the evenings instead of mornings. Lately, he spent most of his evenings with him, sometimes with his siblings, Clary or Simon but when Raphael was over, he tried to find whatever excuse he could summon to refuse Magnus's invitation. Until today, he hadn't raised any suspicion. Well, not in his neighbor anyway. Isabelle was another story.

He loved his sister. He really did. She was one of his favorite persons on Earth and he would have offered his life for hers without blinking. But truly, she could be his worst nightmare.

She had always been overinvested in his love life, always prying for information, always trying to find him a boyfriend. Most of the time, he didn't mind, mostly because he had grown to be accustomed to it. But right now, when there was nothing he could do to actually get the man he was crushing hard on without becoming an even more terrible person than he already thought he was, it was just annoying.

It all started like this. Isabelle had spent the night at his place. They had gone out the night before in a club and by gone out, he meant she had dragged him along in spite of his protests. They had drunk, reasonably so, but by the time they had been out of the club, it had been late so he had offered her to sleep in his guest room.

They were having breakfast, chewing on their cereals unenthusiastically when his front door opened and Magnus walked into his kitchen, dropping a pile of letters on the table. Alec straightened up on his chair but that was the only indication he gave away.

"Got your mail," he said by way of greeting, opening Alec's fridge to help himself to an apple.

"Thanks", Alec replied simply.

He didn't remember giving Magnus his mailbox key but it didn't really matter if it could save him a trip down the hall, where the old lady on the ground floor, Mrs Rollins, usually talked to him for an hour. He was too polite to turn her down. Magnus talked to her happily, which wasn't much of a surprise.

His neighbor took a seat next to Isabelle, chewing thoughtfully on his apple.

"So, I have a favor to ask you," he declared innocently but his eyes were telling another story.

"Ask and we'll see if it's worth my time," Alec teased, taking a sip of much needed coffee.

"It's too early for you to be so cheeky," Magnus shot back, leaning forward to pinch him on the hand.

Alec protested loudly, waving his hand away.

"I decided to redecorate," his neighbor announced solemnly, "and I bought a marvelous Persian carpet on the Internet but they don't deliver so I need someone to drive me to the shop. You've got a car. Do the math."

"Where the hell do you work to be able to afford redecorating every month?" Isabelle chimed in, sending him an incredulous look.

"If I tell you, I'll have to kill you and I'm quite fond of you two so let's not go down that road," Magnus retorted playfully.

In the five months they had been neighbors, Alec still hadn't been able to make Magnus talk about his job. If he even had one.

"Why don't you ask Raphael? He has a car," Alec replied, cutting short his sister's attempt to pry further into it.

"Why would I ask Raphael?" Magnus uttered and he looked genuinely surprised, almost offended. "You're much better company and it's a forty minutes ride." He leaned forward, tilting his head to meet Alec's eyes with his pleading gaze. "Pretty please."

"Fine," he grumbled and did his best to look exasperated but there was a small smile playing on his lips that betrayed his true feelings. "But you're buying me pizza tonight."

"You're a marvel, Alexander Gideon Lightwood," Magnus beamed, leaning back in his chair.

His grin was so sincere and so luminous that Alec's stomach twisted almost painfully.

"Do not use my full name ever again or I swear I'll kill you in your sleep," Alec deadpanned, doing his best to appear threatening. He failed. "How do you even know my middle name?"

Magnus smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head no. "I'll never tell."

Alec growled, darting his eyes to his sister who was suddenly very quiet. "Izzy!"

"What?" she exclaimed defensively. "He asked!"

"You didn't have to tell him!" Alec retorted, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Have you seen his puppy eyes?" Isabelle protested loudly, pointing accusingly at Magnus, who nodded in agreement, looking very proud of himself. "I'm only human!"

"Don't blame her," his neighbor chimed in, his smirk even wider than before. "No one is immune to my natural charm."

Alec snorted, raising an eyebrow at him in a doubtful manner. Magnus winked playfully at him and he blushed, focusing back on his cereals. _Damn it_.

"Anyway, I have to go," he stated, rising to his feet. "I have my yoga mat waiting for me and I promised Guadalupe I would go over for lunch afterwards. Izzy, you're welcome to join me. I would say the same to you, Alexander, but your glorious self would distract me and by glorious self, I mean your ass in yoga pants."

Alec chocked on his cereals and his entire face turned crimson.

"Not that yours is not distracting, Izzy, but well…" he cut himself off with a graceful, dismissive wave.

"Thank you. Who's Guadalupe?" Isabelle asked with a smirk, sending a knowing gaze to her still blushing brother.

"Raphael's mother. She loves me, obviously," Magnus replied condescendingly. "But then again, it's just my natural charm."

He blew them a kiss. "Alexander, I'll pick you up after lunch for our little road trip."

"I'm driving so technically, I'll pick you up," Alec deadpanned. "I'm so glad no one was ever crazy enough to give you a driving license."

"That was rude and unnecessary Gideon," Magnus stopped at the door to turn back and pout at him. He avoided swiftly the spoon Alec threw at his face when he used his middle name, giggling. "Congratulations Isabelle, you just became my favorite Lightwood."

"Because I wasn't before?" she chimed back with a playful grin.

"No, I'm afraid it was Gideon. He has these marvelous blue eyes of his and I'm weak," Magnus retorted mischievously. "See you later!"

And just like that, he was gone. Alec snorted, shaking his head at his neighbor's antics before focusing back on his cereals, a happy smile on his lips. It took him a few seconds to realize his sister was staring at him.

"What?"

"So, when do you ask him out?" she asked, grinning widely.

Alec huffed, rolled his eyes but didn't reply.

"Come on, you can't tell me there's nothing there!" she went on, pointing at him accusingly. "If I hadn't been there, he totally would have pinned you down on the table to have his wicked way with you!"

Alec blushed and really, he was too old to blush so regularly. Even sixteen-year-old him didn't blush that much.

"Isabelle," he grunted in warning.

"Seriously, he's flirting with you and –"

"Isabelle, just drop it," he cut her off, slightly more aggressively than he had expected it.

Her mouth fell open and she stared at him for a minute, surprised. He hadn't wanted to be so abrupt but he hadn't been able to help himself. He didn't want to get his hopes up. He had specifically forbidden himself to do so. He couldn't, not when Magnus was very much taken. Yes, he was pretty sure Magnus had flirted with him with at a few occasions but then again, Magnus flirted with basically anyone and everyone. It was one of the reasons the old lady from the ground floor talked to Alec so much, because she had noticed that they were somehow friends and she liked to tell him how charming Magnus was. Like he didn't know.

Isabelle didn't pry more but she observed him quietly with knowing eyes and a tiny smirk that she always sported when she was plotting on doing something Alec wouldn't approve. It was very disturbing.

.

"You said it was the next on the right!" Alec growled, glaring exasperatedly at his copilot.

"Yeah well, I was wrong! Why did you even listen to me? You know I have no sense of direction whatsoever!" Magnus snapped back.

"Oh, so now it's going to be my fault because I listened to you?" he protested loudly.

"Yes. You're the responsible one. You should know better," Magnus replied stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't even know where we're going!" Alec argued. "You said you had looked at the map before leaving!"

"Just pull over and ask someone," he sighed, pointing at a couple walking down the street.

"I'm not asking my direction to them. They look like serial killers!"

"Oh God, are you one of those macho men who refuse to ask for directions?" Magnus sighed, his voice hoarse with frustration.

"When the people I'm supposed to ask to look like they could kill me, yeah," Alec snarled sharply.

"Stop judging them, I'm sure they're lovely people!"

"Oh, really? Okay then," he deadpanned, biting his lip irritably.

He turned the car around and pulled over next to the couple, who was still stumbling down the street. He lowered his window, leaning over to talk to them.

"Excuse me?"

The couple stopped and they turned toward the car in a perfectly synchronized movement. They were both tall and dressed up like they were coming back from the Middle Age. The woman was wearing a long brown skirt with a grey blouse buttoned to the top and even Alec, for all his lack of fashion sense, could tell how badly it looked. The man was a good head taller than her and was wearing a brown suit that had seen better days. They were both wearing "Pro-Life" pins on their jackets and big crosses around their necks. They looked like they had come out straight out of an old horror movie.

"Shit," Magnus whispered next to him. "Okay, I take it back. Drive."

"I can't drive now, I've stopped the car and I talked to them," Alec protested lowly, turning around to face him in the passenger seat.

"I don't care. Drive. He's giving me the creeps," Magnus ordered but he shook his head no, refusing to bulge.

The man walked over to them. "Yes?" He had a horrible nasal voice.

Magnus leaned over the gear lever, almost lying on Alec's lap, to talk to the man. Alec froze. That was extremely close to an awfully sensitive part of his anatomy.

"Sorry," Magnus exclaimed, smirking his overconfident smirk of his. "My boyfriend got lost on our way to the abortion clinic where we're meeting his feminist sister who got knocked up by a guy she fucked in an orgy. Ugh, youths these days, you know what I mean?"

"I hate you," Alec grumbled, slamming his foot on the pedal. The car took off immediately.

"God will punish you!" the man was yelling behind them, raising his fist in anger.

As soon as they were out of sight in the rearview, Alec turned his head to glare at Magnus, who was biting his lip not to laugh.

"I'm sorry. Zealots are my weakness. I can't behave myself around them," he said but he didn't sound apologetic at all.

"Oh, because normally you can behave yourself?" Alec blurted back, rolling his eyes.

Magnus laughed. It took them another half hour to find the damn shop.

.

"Isabelle?"

Simon stepped into Alec's apartment cautiously. He had seen the Lightwood siblings quite often since Magnus had moved in, mostly the eldest one, because he always seemed to be in his neighbor's apartment but he had never been inside his before.

When he had gotten a text from Isabelle asking to come over as soon as possible, he had been surprised but his curiosity had gotten the best of him and he hadn't been able to help himself. That and he couldn't exactly say no when a stunningly attractive woman asked him to meet her. He was only human.

"In here!" came Isabelle's voice.

He stepped into the living room and indeed, there she was, sitting on her brother's couch with a contemplative look on her face. She was even more gorgeous than in his memories.

"Uhm. You texted so… I'm here," he stuttered, passing a nervous hand in his already disheveled hair.

"Sit down," she ordered and he could only compel. "We need to talk."

"Am I in trouble?" he asked carefully. He couldn't think of anything he had done wrong, especially toward her, because she had been mostly ignoring him whenever they were in the same room since they had met. He didn't blame her, they were definitely not in the same leagues.

"No," she dismissed, rolling her eyes at his apprehension. "I need your help."

"Okay," he replied and he sounded unsure even to his own ears. "With what?"

"Magnus and Alec," she announced like it was obvious.

"Are they okay?" he inquired, because her tone suggested otherwise.

"Yeah, yeah," she nodded, dropping her chin on her hand thoughtfully. "We need to do something."

"Do something about what?" he asked again. "I'm not sure I follow. You're being very cryptic."

"Something about the obvious sexual tension between them!" Isabelle exclaimed impatiently.

Simon did a double take, raising an eyebrow at her. She let out a deep breath and turned her thunderous eyes on him.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed."

Simon took a few seconds to reflect on his answer and he leaned forward, dropping his elbows on his knees.

"Isabelle –"

"Izzy," she interrupted.

"Izzy," he started again, in a soft but firm voice. "I've known Magnus Bane since I was four years old and he was nine. It's been roughly twenty years. In all these years, I've learned a few rules when it comes to him. One: Do not ever question his fashions choices. Two: Do not try to make him stop drinking or smoking because he will punch you. Although he will most likely miss. Three: He acts like an asshole sometimes, but he's a wonderful person under these layers of glitter and arrogance. And finally: do not ever get involved in his love life because it will just go very, very wrong. Also, he will punch you."

Isabelle knew there was probably a story behind all of his affirmations but she didn't care. Simon had some trouble to gulp when she glared at him, her lips tightening with annoyance. She looked like he was really boring her. Simon wasn't really surprised; it was the usual he got from attractive girls.

"There's more, but these ones are the most important," Simon added awkwardly, nervously scratching his knee.

"He wouldn't punch me," Isabelle replied confidently.

"I am amazed by the fact that it's the information you chose to focus on."

"Well, I am pretty amazing," she retorted with a wink.

Simon could not argue with that.

"Okay," she sighed eventually. "See it that way. You would not get involved in Magnus's love life. You would be getting involved in my brother's love life."

He blinked at her. She was very adamant.

"Somehow, this sounds worse," Simon said. "I don't even know your brother that well."

"Simon, I'm doing this whether you help me or not," she stated with finality. There was a fire in her eyes that made him feel very small. "But I'd like it better if you'd help me, because I need someone on Magnus's side." She leaned back in the couch, her dark hair flying behind her shoulders. "And I thought it could be a nice occasion for us to get to know each other. I could have asked Clary or the grumpy one."

Simon knew she meant Raphael. Whenever someone he knew said the word grumpy, it usually applied to Raphael.

She was looking at him, her dark eyes almost begging but there was a tiny smirk on her lips that showed that she knew exactly what she was doing. Simon had never been good at saying no to beautiful girls and Isabelle was easily the most beautiful of them all.

He sighed, defeated, and nodded slowly.

"Great!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "I'm calling it Operation Malec. Mission one: we need to get Alec drunk. He's a whore when he's drunk."

Simon was already regretting this decision.

.

A carpet should not be so heavy, Magnus pondered to himself as Alec and he dropped his new acquisition on the floor of his apartment. They collapsed on the floor in perfect sync in the middle of his living room, both breathing heavily. Alec turned his head to look at him, glaring accusingly.

"Gideon, you can't blame me for the weight of the carpet," Magnus said before his neighbor could even open his mouth. "I did not know it would be so heavy."

"Oh, I'm blaming you alright," Alec grumbled crankily. "It was supposed to be a two hours trip. We left at three. It's almost eight."

"Fine, blame me but I'm not buying you pizza if you're sulking."

Alec snorted, his lips twitching on the side. Magnus beamed proudly.

This could have been weird, mostly because they were still laid on the floor, glancing at each other in an awkward angle but Magnus thought it was nice. Peaceful. And the company was both good-looking and pretty great, so there was that, too. It was almost scary, how he could drown so easily in these stunning blue eyes but really, he saw no reason not to do it. Getting lost in Alec's eyes was always a pleasant distraction from the rest of the world.

They were close and Magnus would just have to move a few inches if he wanted to kiss him and God, he wanted to. He glanced down at Alec's oh-so-tempting lips and really, who was going to stop him?

Alec. Alec stopped him. He cleared his throat and frowned, going up on his elbows and raising an eyebrow at the wall that separated their apartments.

"Do you hear that?" he asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

Magnus was annoyed because they had shared a sweet moment that had been interrupted rudely but he was also perplexed because, indeed, there were noises coming from his neighbor's apartment. He nodded and Alec's frown deepened as he rose to his feet, Magnus on his heels. They stumbled in the corridor and Alec rummaged in his pockets to find his key, only to find his door already unlocked.

He glanced back at Magnus and put a hand on his shoulder protectively.

"Stay back," he muttered.

He stepped inside slowly and his whole body looked ready to fight. His shoulders were tensed and he was leaning forward a little bit, as if he expected to have to duck to avoid a blow. One of his hand was still held back, sheltering Magnus protectively and Magnus had never needed protection, had always been very capable of taking care of himself but he found himself endeared by the gesture anyway. Even through the edginess of the situation, he couldn't help but smile at the general sweetness that was Alec Lightwood.

"What the f –"

Alec cut himself off, his mouth falling open in shock. They had arrived in his living room and it was full of people, most of them Magnus didn't know. They were scattered all across the room and on the balcony, red paper cups in their hands. There was soft music resonating but not loud enough to hail the neighbors.

Magnus watched, as bewildered as Alec, as people paid no attention to them, chatting and laughing and partying.

"I'm going to kill her," Alec growled through clenched teeth, his eyes looking for someone in the crowd.

Finally, they settled on a tall figure on the balcony and Magnus easily recognized Isabelle's wild dark hair. Alec strolled forward, his steps confident but made a little edgier by anger. Magnus followed, weaving in and out of the crowd.

"Izzy!" his neighbor yelled once they were outside. "What the hell is this?"

She looked taken aback to see him there for a moment but quickly recovered.

"Surprise!" she shouted overenthusiastically and Magnus raised an amazed eyebrow. She had some nerves. He loved her.

"Yeah, for a surprise, it's a surprise!" Alec barked, waving toward the amount of people still crowding his apartment. "Would you like to explain to me why there are about twenty complete strangers in my living room?"

"We're celebrating!" she exclaimed again, a wide beam on her face. "And my apartment is too small so here we are! And they're not all strangers. Simon is here. Jace and Clary, too."

"What are we even celebrating?" Alec growled angrily.

Magnus watched with interest as his blue eyes darkened with fury, his whole body tensed. It shouldn't have been that hot but well, Magnus was weak and it truly was.

"Leo winning an Oscar, obviously!" she replied, shoving a drink in his hands.

Magnus had to bite his lip not to laugh. Alec's mouth fell open once more and he looked at his sister incredulously as she had just grown a second head. He could have pinpointed the exact moment when he gave up. His shoulders slumped and he released a deep sigh, shaking his head in defeat.

"Well, if you ask me, that's a pretty decent excuse to throw a party," Magnus chimed in, smirking.

Isabelle beamed at him, handing him a cup that he took gratefully. Alec glared at him.

"Everything is an excuse to throw a party with you," he accused but the anger was gone from his voice. "You threw a party last month for your cat's six months birthday. Which is not even a thing."

"Hey!" Magnus protested, looking dreadfully offended. "Are you saying Chairman Meow doesn't deserve the best things?"

"I'm saying it's a cat," Alec deadpanned. "He doesn't appreciate these things. And he was hiding in my apartment for the whole night."

Magnus pouted at him because he was a grown-up adult and it was an adult thing to do.

"Why do you have to rain on my parade?" he complained, taking a long sip of his drink.

It was rum, his favorite.

"And I'll have you know that the Chairman was very pleased. He didn't cry at the dog's neighbor for a week afterward."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Alec said, his lips twitching with amusement.

Magnus turned back to Isabelle, who was looking at them attentively. There was something in her dark eyes. She looked proud and shrewder than he had ever seen her. Somehow, it was not reassuring.

.

Isabelle woke up the next morning in her brother's guest room. She had not drunk too much so she didn't have too much trouble to get out of bed. She took a shower, put on the clothes she had prepared the day before and she felt ready to face the day. But first, she needed to check that their plan had worked. She had left Alec and Magnus together at some point during the night, when their flirting had become almost sickening and her brother had been tipsy enough that she knew he was going to loosen up soon.

She sneaked across the hall quietly and opened the door of his bedroom as silently as she could.

Alec was still sleeping, his naked torso rising up and down with his breathing. There was a muddled shape tangled in the sheets next to him and all she could see was the dark hair but she knew. She bit her lip to muffle her cry of victory and closed the door behind her, tiptoeing her way to the kitchen.

Simon was already there, swallowing a coffee with slow sips, his brow furrowed in what looked a lot like pain.

"My head is killing me," he announced when he saw her. "I drank too much. Did I do anything embarrassing?"

"Well, you did take off your shirt at some point because you claimed to feel too hot from all the dancing," she chimed in with a smirk. "Congratulations on those abs, by the way, I was not expecting that!"

Simon banged his head on the table, grunting. "I want to die."

"Don't be so dramatic," she giggled. "It was funny. You're like Alec, you need to loosen up a bit once in a while!"

She leaned forward, putting both of her palms on the table. "Speaking of my dear brother," she added, her voice lowering to a whisper, "Operation Malec was a success! They are both still sleeping in Alec's bedroom."

They were highfiving when the front door of the apartment opened. They watched in bewilderment as Magnus strolled in, carrying a box from the bakery down the road. He was dressed up in one of his usual eccentric outfits but it was definitely not the same clothes he had worn the day before. He looked showered and his make-up was done.

"I brought donuts," he exclaimed cheerfully. "I figured you'd be hungry."

"Where did you come from?" Isabelle asked, her eyes wide with puzzlement.

"Uhm… My apartment?" Magnus replied with a teasing smirk. "Did you drink so much that you forgot I live next door?"

"No, no, no," she said, shaking her head. "You're not supposed to be in your apartment, you're supposed to be –"

She cut herself off, looking at Simon in panic. "If you're here, who's –"

This time, she was interrupted by Alec stepping in the kitchen, rubbing his still sleepy eyes with his hand. He went straight to Magnus.

"God, I love you so much right now," he growled as he grabbed a donut, immediately chewing on it. "I'm starving."

Magnus laughed and took a donut himself, taking a seat around the kitchen table while Alec poured himself a mug of coffee. Isabelle looked between them with wide eyes.

"Who's the guy in your bed?" she blurted out, pointing a reproachful finger at her brother, before she could stop herself. Not that she would have anyway.

Alec choked on his coffee and his face slowly went crimson.

"Izzy!"

"What? I saw him. So, who is he?"

Her tone demonstrated very clearly that she would pester him until he answered and he was probably too hangover and too tired to argue with her about it.

"His name is Alaric," he replied with a defeated sigh, still blushing. "You should know, you invited him," he added with a glare for good measure.

"Alec, you're such a whore when you're drunk!" Isabelle yelled accusingly.

Her brother's face reddened even more strenuously. "Isabelle!"

He hissed in pain at his own outburst, raising a hand to massage his painful temples.

She didn't reply but glanced incredulously at Simon who was glancing right back. From his seat across them, Magnus snorted but didn't say anything, looking down at his donut like it held the answers to the world's mysteries.

Well, Mission One from Operation Malec appeared to be quite a failure.

.

* * *

 **Hello lovelies!**

 **What did you think of the chapter? Izzy's matchmaking skills need some work but her intentions are good ;) haha**

 **Thank you all again for the support and kind words. You are lovely!**

 **Next chapter tomorrow hopefully, if not, it will be Monday!**  
 **And here's your cookie (baked with love):**  
 _ **"We need to talk about Operation Malec."**_  
 _ **(...)**_  
 _ **"Cleary, the first mission was a failure," Simon replied matter-of-factly, taking a sip of his mocha. "I don't think we should continue with this."**_  
 _ **Isabelle snorted and rolled her eyes. "So, we need to plan a night out. Somewhere festive but still intimate enough so they can find a quiet corner to make out."**_  
 _ **It was like he hadn't talked at all.**_

 **Isabelle is nothing if not persistent. Also, she's definitely team Malec all the way!**

 **All the love,**  
 **L.**


	5. Life or Death

**Hello lovelies,**

 **I believe this chapter will provide some answers to some of your questions ;)**

 **Enjoy !**

* * *

" _If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself._ "  
― George Orwell

.

"We need to talk about Operation Malec."

Simon couldn't hold back a sigh. Mission One had been such a failure that he had assumed that Isabelle would just drop it. That was underestimating her stubbornness. When she had asked him to meet for coffee, he had figured it wasn't for his charming company only but he had still hoped a little bit. He should have known better than to get his hopes up.

"Cleary, the first mission was a failure," Simon replied matter-of-factly, taking a sip of his mocha. "I don't think we should continue with this."

Isabelle snorted and rolled her eyes. "So, we need to plan a night out. Somewhere festive but still intimate enough so they can find a quiet corner to make out."

It was like he hadn't talked at all.

"Izzy, this is not a good idea," he tried again. "We didn't really do a good job the first time."

"Because we were foolish enough to think they would act on their own," she said and she looked straight at him, like she was seeing him for the first time since he had sat in front of her.

He shifted on his seat, nervously rubbing his thumb against his cup. "Fine. But if we fail this time, there won't a third mission, okay?"

"We'll see."

.

Taki's diner was a restaurant in the heart of Manhattan. It was frequented by people from all around New York from the Upper East Side rich kids to the kids from Harlem who needed a distraction. It was cheap and the food was stunningly delicious. On a Saturday night, it was so crowded you could barely move through the mass of people but on a Friday night, it was at least breathable which was the only reason why Alec had accepted to be dragged there after work.

Jace hadn't left him much of a choice. He had been waiting for him on the campus parking, leaning against his car.

"We're going for a burger and then we're going out," he had claimed, leaving no room for negotiation. "I hope your liver is resistant because we're gonna get fucked up."

Alec had taken one look at his brother, seen the determination in his golden eyes and had sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

So there he was.

Isabelle was sitting at the end of their table with Clary and they were leaning toward each other, whispering and giggling about God-knows-what and he had to wonder when they had become such good friends but he supposed it had just happened, just like Magnus and him.

Clary and Jace had been on a few dates since they had cleared their misunderstanding but they were still not officially together and Alec was starting to get really tired of his brother's whining. He was grateful, though, because Clary seemed to be able to keep Jace on tracks and that was relaxing for him to take a break from the constant babysitting. So he had mixed feelings about their relationship but he didn't let himself get too involved.

Jace was in front of him and Simon was sitting next to Alec, nursing his beer while they waited to order their food, and he was staring at Isabelle with a focus that had Alec narrowing his eyes but he didn't say anything. If Simon wanted to fly too close from the sun and burn his wings, he wasn't in position to stop him. And Isabelle was more than able to take care of herself.

He was pondering on snapping his fingers in front of Simon's eyes when Magnus and Raphael came strolling in, stopping at their table and nudging at Jace so that he would move further into the bench to provide them some room. The blonde obliged with a glare devoid of any real heat.

Alec had to tear his eyes away from his neighbor because he looked stunning as ever but he was there with his boyfriend so he could not get caught staring. It was almost criminal for Magnus to never button his shirts fully. He was always showing the tanned skin of his chest and it was just not fair to do that to Alec's willpower.

"Finally!" Isabelle chimed in from her seat, beaming at the newcomers. "Can we order now?"

"Hello to you too, sweetheart," Magnus replied with a smirk, grabbing a menu. "We're late because Raphael here didn't want to come unless we went to pick up his jacket at his mother's house. And well, Guadalupe loves me too much to let me go so easily so we had to stay for coffee."

"It's my favorite jacket," Raphael grunted crankily, glaring at him, "and my mother doesn't love you that much."

"Yes, she does, darling, and you know it," Magnus quipped back, winking at him playfully.

"Whatever."

He knew it was irrational that he disliked Raphael so much. Raphael had done nothing wrong to him except for dating the man Alec had a crush on. Deep down, he knew Raphael and he were not so different. They both had defensive personalities. They didn't let themselves open too much or feel too hard. They were guarded people and he could relate to him more than he liked to admit it.

The waitress, Kaelie, who had the horrible habit of flirting with Jace every time they came here walked to their table, shaking her notebook at them.

"Ready to order?"

Isabelle was about to talk but Alec interrupted her, clearing his throat. "No, we're still waiting for someone. Thanks Kaelie."

She nodded at him and walked to the next table.

"What do you mean we're still waiting for someone?" Isabelle exclaimed, leaning across the table to glare at him. "I'm starving!"

"Alaric is coming," Alec said simply.

Isabelle gaped at him, her mouth falling open almost comically. She looked like the wolf in these old Tex Avery cartoons.

"Why is Alaric coming?" she asked, almost yelling and he raised an eyebrow at her outburst, surprised.

"Because I invited him?" he replied and the questioning tone was mostly for her reaction. "Because we're dating?"

"You're what?" she fully yelled this time.

Alec jumped in his seat, frowning. "Would you stop shouting?" he chastised her, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. He was painfully aware of the other customers staring at them.

"You've got a boyfriend?" Jace intervened and fortunately, his tone was much calmer than their sister's. "I didn't know."

"It's very recent," Alec replied with a light frown. "We met at that party Isabelle organized in _my_ apartment."

He glared at her as he breathed out the words. He still hadn't forgiven her for that one.

"Alec, do you not know the definition of a one-night-stand?" she chimed in, brow furrowed in annoyance. "You're not supposed to date the person afterwards!"

Now his surprise was starting to turn into irritation. He wasn't sure what had gotten into his sister but she was being rude and disrespectful.

"Okay, what is going on with you?" he growled through clenched teeth.

He really didn't want his new friends to see him angry. It was never a nice sight. Jace must have been thinking the same because he tensed too.

"Izzy, Alec is an adult. I'm sure he knows what he's doing," he put in cautiously.

"Well, maybe I don't like Alaric," she replied stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest in a childish manner that did nothing to temper his exasperation.

"You don't like him?" he repeated incredulously. " _You_ are the one who invited him in _my_ apartment! He was _your_ friend before he was my boyfriend!"

There was dead silence around the table. Clary and Simon were both glancing down at their hands awkwardly. Jace had his shit-is-going-to-go-down face and for once, he wasn't the one to blame. Magnus was staring directly at Alec with obvious worry on his face and he almost softened but thought twice about it and didn't. Raphael looked, on his part, very entertained but that didn't come as a surprise. The silence stretched awkwardly until someone clearing their throat made them all jump.

Alaric had dark hair and light grey eyes that were complimented by his brown skin. He had broad shoulders and he was tall but still slightly smaller than Alec. He was very handsome but Alec didn't feel his heart clench when he looked at him. It was okay, though, because the person who provoked these reactions in him was painfully unavailable.

He was a quiet person but both sensitive and strong in his own ways. Alaric was not going to be the love of his life and they both knew it so it was okay and Alec felt slightly less guilty about using him to nurse his crush on Magnus. They had had a nice time at the party, they had laughed a lot and Alec had seen no reason not to take things further with him, especially when he had been building up sexual frustration for months and his skin had been prickling unpleasantly. He was only human. Alaric didn't know all of this in great details but Alec had been quite clear about his feelings (or lack of, more accurately). He had not been bothered by Alec's honesty, mostly because he wasn't serious about their relationship either.

That didn't mean he would let Isabelle insult their relationship like she had.

"How long have you been here?" he asked carefully, glancing up at Alaric, who was frowning at the lack of response.

"I just got here," he said, apparently surprised at the question, bending down to peck him lightly on the lips. "Sorry I'm late. I got caught up at work. Hi everyone," he added, waving awkwardly at the rest of the group.

They saluted him in a same voice and he went to sit down next to Alec but he stopped him to move out of the bench.

"I'm going for a smoke. Jace, order for me please," he growled and started rummaging through his pockets to find his cigarettes.

He swore under his breath when he realized he had left them on his balcony the night before and swore again because it was the first time he really wanted one, not for the only purpose of spending time on said balcony with Magnus. Somehow, it managed to make him even angrier.

The latter rose from his seat at his desperate look, getting his own pack out of his pocket. "I'll join you," he said.

Without another word, Alec stepped out and straight into the back alley of the restaurant. He leaned against the wall and waited patiently as Magnus caught up with him. He held him a cigarette that he took gratefully, leaning forward for Magnus to light it.

His neighbor gave him a few much needed seconds of silence and peace before he cleared his throat, tilting his head slightly on the side.

"Are you okay?"

Alec let out a deep breath, his eyes widening in both anger and puzzlement. "I don't know what got into her," he sighed. "She's the one always pestering me about getting a boyfriend and when I have one, she's not happy? What am I supposed to do? Live forever in celibate until I find a man deemed worthy of Isabelle's expectations?"

Magnus smiled and it was gauche and strained, nothing like his usual glowing grin.

"I'm sure she meant well," he said. "You Lightwoods are very protective of each other."

"Yeah but it wasn't her being overprotective, though. I don't even know what she was doing, it doesn't make any sense to me."

Magnus stepped forward, putting a comforting hand on Alec's arm and he gulped difficultly at the new proximity. He didn't say anything. He just stood there, softly rubbing his thumb against Alec's biceps and it was such a sweet, simple gesture but it managed to make his remaining anger fade away. He took a long drag of his cigarette, just because he was afraid he'd use his mouth to do something much less ethical if he didn't.

"Come on," Magnus eventually said, dropping his cigarette butt on the floor and putting it out with his foot. "Let's get back to our friends before they figure out you're over here flirting with me instead of sulking."

Alec chuckled and followed him inside.

When they got back to their table, it was still immersed in an awkward silence. Alaric looked so relieved when Alec sat next to him that it made him frown again.

"Okay, everyone stop acting strange, I'm supposed to be the weird one," Magnus exclaimed, taking back his seat next to Raphael. "So Alaric, what do you do for a living except for corrupting our dear Alexander and being very handsome?"

Alaric laughed and seemed to relax instantly. Not for the first time, Alec was extremely grateful for Magnus existing.

.

"So, I'm guessing Operation Malec went up in smoke," Simon stated simply, taking his seat in front of Isabelle.

"Operation Malec?" Jace echoed, raising an eyebrow. "And what is he doing here?"

"Izzy and Clary invited me," Simon replied, glaring at the blonde.

They had gathered in a small coffee shop a few days later and Alec was on his way so Simon had thought he would open up with the topic straight away so they would get it over with.

"I guess so," Isabelle sighed, completely ignoring her brother. "I can't believe he chose now to finally find himself a boyfriend."

"Shouldn't you be happy for him?" Clary inquired carefully with a slight frown.

"Yeah, yeah. Of course I'm happy for him."

She sounded anything but happy.

.

Alec really hated his life.

It wasn't raining, it was pouring. He was wet to his every bone and his shirt was stuck to his chest uncomfortably. He was running, trying to get to his building as soon as possible. The raging wind was not helping.

He finally did it and he stopped in the hallway, taking a minute to catch his breath. The door opened behind him and he jumped, turning around to find an annoyingly dry Magnus standing behind him, an umbrella in his hand.

"Lucky bastard," he grumbled.

"Such a filthy mouth," Magnus chuckled. "Have you ever heard of umbrellas? It's a wonderful invention."

"I had an umbrella, it got blown away."

Alec pressed the button to call for the elevator, wondering if his day could get any worse.

"If it makes you feel better, the wet look suits you pretty well," Magnus teased with a wink.

Alec blushed and tried to hide it by rolling his eyes as he stepped inside the elevator, his neighbor on his heels. He pressed the button for the fifth floor. He was starting to shiver, his teeth shattering with the cold. Magnus spared him a worried look.

"You're going to catch a cold," he stated, frowning.

"That's why I'm going to get in the shower as soon as I'm home," Alec sniffed, hugging himself in an effort to warm himself.

Of course, the universe had other plans for him. They were almost on the fifth floor and he could already picture the hot water running down his body when the elevator startled, the lights flickering for a moment, and just stubbornly stopped all together.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, come on!" Alec yelled to no one in particular, staring at the roof. "Really? Now?"

Magnus was not always the most reasonable person but he became oddly rational in situations like these ones. So he was the one who pressed the emergency call button and talked to the maintenance team while Alec stood there, uttering every curse words he could think of. When he was done, he turned around to face his neighbor, whose lips were slowly starting to turn blue.

"Take off your coat, it's soaked," he said softly, moving forward.

Alec obliged, letting it fall on the floor. Without a word, Magnus took off his own coat to wrap it up around his shoulders, rubbing his hands against his arms to try to bring him some warmth.

"T-T-This is n-not h-helping," Alec whispered through shattering teeth.

He took a step back, held Magnus back his coat and started unbuttoning his shirt with shaking fingers. The fabric had been stuck to his torso by the rain and it felt like he was wrapped in a blanket of ice and he couldn't think of any other solution than to just take it off. When he missed a button for the third time because of his trembling fingers, Magnus stepped forward again and proceeded in unfastening the demonic item himself, his fingers firm and confident. Alec held his breath. This was too much and not enough. This was too intimate and not intimate enough. He could feel Magnus's breath against his skin, could see the flicker in his green eyes and he wanted more than ever to reach out and pull him even closer. This was torture.

Magnus slid the shirt off his shoulders and wrapped him once more in his coat, his eyes fluttering for a second on Alec's naked torso before glancing up again. There was no trace of a smirk on his face, he was all serious and worry, his brow lightly furrowed. And Alec was gone.

Magnus tried to step back and for a second, he looked almost shy and it was enough for Alec to wake up from his daze and reach out, grabbing him by the sleeve before he could pull away.

"B-Body heat," he justified lamely, because he could see the surprise in Magnus's eyes.

This was probably the worst excuse of all time but Magnus didn't argue. Instead, he pushed even closer, lightly grabbing at Alec's naked hip with his right hand. It felt like he had been burnt, his whole body shivering. It was an incredible paradox that all of a sudden, he felt as warm as he was cold.

Magnus was taller than him, not much but when he stood so close, it was enough that he had to glance slightly up to look at him in the eyes. This really was not the best idea he had because there was so much intensity in his gaze that it took all of his self control not to kiss him right now. It was a better idea than to look at Magnus's lips, though, because then he knew he wouldn't be able to restrain himself.

"Fuck," he whispered when Magnus licked his lips and he had nowhere else to look.

He would have done it. If he was honest with himself, he had to admit it. He would have stepped forward to kiss Magnus if the elevator had not suddenly started moving again, making them both jump.

Magnus pulled back and he was struck by the immediate lack of warmth. He didn't let himself reach out. The ding indicating they had arrived to their floor was the last pull he needed to come back to Earth. He cleared his throat and stepped out of the elevator, going straight for his door.

"See you later," he blurted out, turning back to face Magnus.

"Go take a warm shower," he smiled as he reached his own door, disappearing inside.

Maybe he needed a cold shower instead, he thought bitterly.

It wasn't until he was under the shower, the burning water working on his tensed shoulders that he allowed himself to replay the whole scene in his mind.

"Fuck," he said to no one.

His own voice seemed to awake something in him because he was suddenly struck with the image of Alaric, quickly followed by Raphael. He was a horrible, terrible person. And he needed to call his boyfriend urgently.

.

Magnus was perplexed.

Alec had definitely seemed to be about to kiss him. He had felt it, from the tension in his body to the thunder in his blue eyes. There was a slight possibility that he had been dreaming it but he didn't think so. His mind was imaginative but not that much.

However, it was not exactly the fact that it had almost happened that puzzled him, it was the fact that Alec had seemed to _want_ it. Magnus had been flirting with his neighbors for six months, from the day they had met really. On the rare occasions where Alec had responded positively, it had seemed to be a joke, a snarky response to Magnus's quip. He had never showed much interest apart from these few times.

And he had a boyfriend. It might have not been for long but Alaric was very much real.

So, really, none of this made sense.

And like often when things didn't make sense in his life, Magnus decided to push it aside until it did.

Alec seemed surprised when he opened his door to find Magnus on the threshold. He had changed in one of his ugly sweaters that Magnus just wanted to use as material for a campfire and his face had recovered its usual color which was reassuring.

"Magnus?"

"Chicken soup!" he announced cheerfully, showing him the bowl in his hands, before stepping inside without as much of a warning.

Alec rolled his eyes, following him inside. "I'm fine. The shower helped."

"You'll be even better after my chicken soup," Magnus replied with finality.

Alec dropped on the couch next to him and took the soup his neighbor held out to him with a small smile. He had learnt a long time ago not to argue with Magnus when it came to him sharing food.

"Thanks."

"Well, I do like you and if you die, where am I going to find a neighbor as handsome as you?" Magnus stated dramatically.

Alec snorted. "So, really, this is all self-interested, isn't it?"

"So you've got the looks _and_ the brains!" Magnus smiled playfully.

"You're lucky your chicken soup is fantastic or I would have kicked you out already."

So, that ignoring side of things was working pretty well. There was no reason not to keep it going.

.

Movie night at Magnus's place was Clary's favorite thing in the world.

It wasn't just the company, who was pretty great in itself, it was mostly because she knew she was going to be entertained and not just by the movie. Whether it was by Magnus eccentricities, his banter with Alec or Simon, or Isabelle being Isabelle, there was always something happening. Therefore, she usually settled for sitting on the extreme right of the couch that faced the window. It was not the best spot to see the TV but it was definitely the best spot to watch her friends' antics.

"I am not watching Love Actually again," Simon growled.

He was rummaging in the kitchen cupboards, looking for a bag of chips, Isabelle hovering behind him.

"Well, I am not watching Lord of the Rings again," she countered heatedly. "You're going to quote along the whole movie."

"Fine. But I am not watching one of Raphael's weird Spanish films either."

"You're just not clever enough to understand them," Raphael chimed in from where he was standing with Magnus on the balcony.

"Drop it, Sheldon," the latter said with a small smirk. "This is a fight you cannot win."

"Yeah, I figured," Simon sighed, pouring the chips in a big bowl.

Jace, who had been sitting next to Clary silently, leaned toward her, his mischievous grin dancing on his lips.

"Twenty bucks that we're going to watch Love Actually," he whispered slyly.

"I'm not betting with you when I'm sure I'm going to lose," she chuckled. "We all know Izzy always has the last word."

And indeed, half an hour later, they were all gathered in front of the TV, Isabelle cooing about Hugh Grant's British accent, when Alec came strolling in. He didn't say a word, going straight to the kitchen to grab a beer before dropping on the couch in his usual spot next to Magnus. It was Isabelle who moved first, taking the remote to pause the movie as she turned toward her brother.

"You're back early," she stated matter-of-factly. "Weren't you supposed to be on a date?"

Alec nodded, swallowing a mouthful of beer.

"And? What happened?" Isabelle pressed, frowning.

"I broke up with him," Alec announced like it was nothing important, something he did every day.

Clary couldn't help but notice the way Magnus shifted in his seat, a shy smile growing on his lips that he tried to hide by biting the inside of his cheek. Clary knew him too well not to notice. She wondered for how long her brother had sported feelings for his neighbor.

"What?" Isabelle exclaimed but she was unable to hide the small smile on her face.

"Don't look so happy about it," Alec grumbled, "and put the movie back on."

He took a look at the screen before sighing deeply, glaring accusingly at Simon and Jace. "Seriously, Love Actually again? Isn't there even one of you who can stand up to Izzy?"

"She's scary, man," Jace complained. Simon nodded in agreement.

Alec rolled his eyes but chuckled.

"Are you okay?" Jace asked, leaning forward to put a comforting hand on his knee.

"Yeah. It's not like he was the love of my life. And I was the one who broke up with him."

"Yeah but why?" the blonde continued curiously again. "I thought you liked the guy."

"Later," Alec said simply, taking a sip of his beer.

Clary did not know Alec that well. She liked him but they were not the best of friends. They didn't have much in common except for Jace and Jace and she had only been officially dating for two months so they were more focused on getting to know each other than their families. There was something special about Alec, though. He was a guarded person but he opened up around his family and his friends. He was bashful, always trying to look smaller than he was, whether it was by wearing clothes too big for him or by slumping his shoulders unconsciously as he walked. He was not the most charismatic person Clary had ever met and yet, maybe he was.

When Alec talked, people listened. He was the responsible one, sometimes maybe to the point where it was too much, but even characters as carefree as Jace, Isabelle or even Magnus listened to him when he said no. It was a special thing to observe, to watch as this reserved, cautious man could become a leader in half a second. He had that spark in his eyes that prevented you from arguing.

It was exactly the spark he had in his eyes at the moment, so neither Jace nor Isabelle asked any more questions.

There was really something special about Alec, Clary pondered to herself as she leaned against Jace's side, her eyes focusing back on the TV.

.

 _Raphael, this is a life or death situation. Come over, quickly._

Raphael wasn't exactly a warm and fuzzy person. Most people said he was an asshole, not that he cared about what most people said. However, as much of an asshole as he was, he could not get a text like this one and not jump in his car immediately to drive to Magnus's building.

It took approximately five seconds for Magnus to open the door, not that Raphael was counting.

He eyed him up and down, raising an eyebrow. Magnus was wearing one of his too tight pair of jeans and no shirt, his brown skin shining with sweat (and probably a bit of glitter, Raphael pondered to himself).

"What's the life or death situation?" he asked immediately. "Are you okay? Why are you not wearing a shirt?"

He hated it when Magnus did that, push him to show that deeply, he actually cared.

Magnus followed him inside the apartment and came to a halt once he was in the living room, pointing at the mess he had probably created himself on the floor. It was a piling up of pieces of wood and screws.

"I've been trying to assemble this damn console for two hours and I can't figure it out!"

Raphael blinked at him, his mouth falling open.

"Magnus, this is not a life or death situation," he yelled but it was more annoyance than anger. "You worried me!"

"Oh darling, I didn't know you cared," Magnus replied with a smirk and there was a fond spark in his green eyes that Raphael chose to ignore. "And this _is_ a life or death situation because if this demonic piece of furniture is not assembled in the next hour, I am going to either kill someone or myself or both."

Raphael rolled his eyes and bended over to get hold of the instructions sheet on the floor. "You are such a drama queen," he sighed. "Why do you even need a new console?"

"I'm redecorating," Magnus said, dismissing his comment with a wave.

"You need to stop redecorating every month," Raphael grunted, taking off his jacket to throw it on the couch. "It's annoying and disturbing. Much like yourself."

"Stop pretending not to know how fabulous I am."

Raphael snorted, taking a look at Magnus's tools with a critical eye. He grabbed a screwdriver to undo the disastrous mess his friend had made.

"Why didn't you ask Alec?" he asked as he kept dissembling everything. "I'm sure he knows how to assemble a console and that would have given you the perfect excuse to ogle his ass like you always do."

"Hey!" Magnus protested. "I am subtle!"

Raphael scoffed indignantly. "Yeah. The only way you could be more obvious would be if you yelled 'I want a piece of that ass for Christmas' but sure, Magnus, whatever you say."

"You know what they say? Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit," Magnus pouted.

"Says the guy who invented sarcasm."

Raphael grabbed the hammer on the floor to fix two boards together. He wasn't looking at Magnus but he could easily surmise his stubborn expression, the slight furrow of his brows, the twitch in his fingers. That was probably the kind of things that happened with people you knew for so long and you were so familiar with.

"So, why didn't you ask him?" he asked.

"He's at work," Magnus replied, glancing down at his green-painted nails nonchalantly.

Raphael hummed under his breath, focusing on the task at hand. Really, it was not so difficult, he didn't know why Magnus had had so much trouble. Actually, thinking about it, it was probably because he hadn't wanted to crack his nail polish. Magnus was nothing if not a diva.

It took him barely twenty minutes to finish assembling the console. When he was done, Magnus had luckily put a shirt on.

He sat down on the couch, gladly accepting the glass of red wine Magnus held out to him.

"So, what's the deal with you and Alec anyway? Why haven't you asked him out yet? This sexual tension is getting really annoying."

"As my ex-boyfriend, you should not be trying to set me up with someone else," Magnus retorted casually, coming to sit cross-legged next to him.

Raphael snorted. "As your ex-boyfriend, I am the best person to tell you to get your head out of your ass and just ask him out already."

They didn't talk about their past relationship very often. Magnus had been Raphael's first boyfriend. He had been sixteen, Magnus eighteen and their relationship hadn't last very long.

They had been friends since they were kids. Magnus was already too sociable and Raphael already too easily irritable. He could still remember the day they had met with sheer clarity. It was in the park behind Luke's apartment. Magnus had been there under the watch of his father and Luke himself and he had been running around the playground, making friends with everyone. Raphael had been sitting under the children's slide. He was mostly there because his mother had forced him to so his little sister could play with other children. Raphael was much better on his own, playing with an Iron Man figurine. Magnus had stumbled his way to him and had started talking to him like they had been friends forever. Raphael had watched in bewilderment as the older kid had kept talking and talking, never stopping, not bothered by Raphael's quietness that usually drove the other kids away. It had been simple, then, and effortless to become friends with Magnus, mostly because Magnus hadn't left him any other choice. Magnus had managed to charm Raphael's mother in no time.

They had grown up together. Raphael knew what had cemented their friendship was not Magnus's sociability, though. Raphael had lost his father when he was about two, he had never really known him or at least, he couldn't remember him properly. But even as young as he was, he understood loss and grief already. Raphael had been seven when Magnus had lost his father to cancer. When he had learnt the news, he had demanded with all the confidence a kid as quiet as him could summon to be driven to Magnus's apartment. When he had arrived, Magnus had smiled at him, a broken and aching smile but a smile anyway. Raphael had never left his side again.

Magnus had been his only friend so, really, it was somehow normal for Raphael to tell him when he had started wondering about his sexuality. Magnus's sexuality was a secret to no one. He had been out from the moment he had understood he was bisexual and Luke and Jocelyn had accepted it without a second thought because it was the kind of people they were.

For Raphael, it was another story. He had been raised in a deeply pious environment where being straight was the norm and, frankly, the best option. It was Magnus who had come to him when he had announced the news to his mother and siblings, holding his hand all along. It had not been easy but eventually, they had accepted it. It had helped that Magnus had preached in his favor fervently, his eyes burning with affection and confidence. When they had been back to their usual bench in the park afterwards, Raphael feeling lighter than he had ever before, he had kissed Magnus. It had felt like the right way to thank him for everything. It had been odd because with all the years they had known each other, Raphael didn't think he would still live first times with Magnus but it had been nice, too, and they had started dating afterwards.

It had not lasted long. Not because they didn't love each other because they did but because they didn't love each other in a way that wasn't brotherly.

That, and Magnus had met Camille and he had been lost to him for a while after that.

Raphael had never been a warm and fuzzy person. Magnus was and always had been the only one powerful enough to break his walls. So maybe it was time for him to break the reminiscent walls Magnus had built himself.

"I'm not going to ask him out," Magnus sighed, shattering the silence that had stretched for too long.

"Why not?" Raphael asked, frowning. "Magnus, I know you and you're so far gone that it's getting almost sickening."

His friend blushed and Raphael had to smirk. It was gratifying, to be able to make someone as confident as Magnus blush with your ability to read them so well.

"There's no point in asking him out if I'm going to be rejected," he sighed. "I don't want to make things awkward between us."

"Why are you so sure he's going to say no?"

"He's just… He barely ever flirts back and he's always backing away when I get too close from him, not like he's disgusted but like… he's trapped," Magnus sighed and his voice sounded distant, his eyes lost in the dark liquid of his glass.

He cleared his throat, shook his head and the look was gone, the familiar beaming grin back on his face.

"Anyway, enough about that," he said in a tone that was too joyful to be natural. "How is dear Ragnor? How is Peru treating him? I haven't heard from him in weeks, that back-stabbing asshole."

"Don't call my boyfriend an asshole, you asshole," Raphael grunted.

Surely, he should have had better tastes in his choice of a best friend.

.

* * *

 **Sooo, what did you think ?**  
 **Let me know here or on my tumblr (onceuponasourwolf) :)**

 **The next chapter will be posted on Monday and I don't mean to presume but I think you're going to like it... hehehe (I told you I was evil)**

 **Here's your cookie:**  
 _ **"Sorry," Jace said. "What do you remember?"**_  
 _ **"Nothing," he sighed, trying to get past the headache to access buried memories. "Oh yes, I remember Simon challenging me to a shot contest. I'm pretty sure I lost if my actual state is anything to go by."**_  
 _ **Jace hesitated for a second before clearing his throat. "Do you remember… anything else?"**_  
 _ **If he had been able to move in the first place, Alec would have probably frozen in place. His brother's tone was the most worrying thing he had heard in his life.**_  
 _ **"What happened?" he asked hastily. "What did I do?"**_

 ***insert evil laugh***

 **See you on Monday ! :D**

 **All the love, 3**  
 **L.**


	6. The Hangover

**Happy reading ;)**

* * *

" _I don't want to repeat my innocence. I want the pleasure of losing it again._ "

― F. Scott Fitzgerald

.

"Did you call me to start Operation Malec again? Because I am no more okay with it now than I was when you first started it."

Simon took a seat in front of Isabelle at their usual coffee shop. It was a nice place with cozy couches and great drinks, even though the manager was a bit weird about the music. It had become familiar to Simon, who had never been in there before he had met the Lightwoods, rather sticking with his usual coffee shop in East Brooklyn. Somehow, he had learnt to assimilate this place to Isabelle, which was probably one of the reasons why it had become so familiar and warm.

Isabelle was wearing a red tank top that matched her lipstick and a leather jacket that suited the return of sunny days. They had known each other for eight months now and she still managed to take his breath away every time he saw her.

"No," she said with a shy smile that was so unlike her.

"What is it then? Do you need something?" Simon asked carefully, tilting his head to meet her dark eyes.

"Do you think I only want to see you when I need something?"

The bare hurt in her tone made Simon blink once and twice before he could think of an answer.

"Well, you kind of do," he replied simply, nervously readjusting his glasses on his nose. "You only call me when you need help with something, like Operation Malec or that time with the S.O.S text because Alec wasn't answering or when you asked me to come pick you up at –"

"Okay, okay, I get it," Isabelle cut him off, raising a hand to shut him up. "Well, I don't need your help today."

"Then why did you call me?" he asked, bewildered.

Isabelle let out a deep breath and glared at him. "You're going to make me say it, aren't you?"

Simon just raised a confused eyebrow at her.

"I wanted to see you, Simon," she eventually blurted out and he didn't know how she managed to look both annoyed and fond at the same time. "I just wanted to have a coffee with you."

"Oh."

He had to force himself to keep his mouth shut because he was dangerously close to gaping at her. Isabelle was fidgeting on her seat and she was suddenly nothing like the confident woman he had always seen in her. There was something vulnerable about the way she slid a strand of hair behind her ear, looking at everything but him. He had loved her assurance, loved the fire that she carried everywhere she swaggered but this was something else, something deeper, something that somehow she had allowed him to see. And oh, how grateful he was.

"Why?" he asked eventually.

This time, she laughed, rolling her eyes at him in a way that reminded him of Alec. They were so different and yet so similar that it was sometimes disconcerting.

"Because I like you," she said.

It was simple and strangely enough it felt like old news, like she had said the words a hundred times before with her eyes.

"Oh."

"I've known you more eloquent. Usually you can't shut up."

Simon smiled and sat straighter on his chair, clearing his throat.

"I like you too," he stated, hoping she would hear the sincerity in his voice.

She grinned at him, a large, happy smile that made the whole world around them evaporate.

"I know, silly," she chuckled.

Somehow, he could see in her eyes that she hadn't known, not really.

.

"This," Magnus stated sternly, "is not what I expected to happen."

"And what did you expect to happen?" Alec growled back, rolling his eyes.

Magnus shrugged, sending an innocent look at his neighbor. Alec did not believe in his virtue for a second.

"No, seriously," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm curious. What exactly did you think would happen?"

"Well, for one, I did not expect the power of the entire floor to cut," Magnus chimed in.

He was moving around his living room, lighting candles all around the apartment to provide them some light in the darkness.

"What were you even trying to do?" Alec almost yelled, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "Build a time machine?"

Magnus chuckled, turning around with a candle in his hand, to face his neighbor with a coy smirk. "Why would I do that when I've got everything I need here and now?"

He watched, delighted, as Alec blushed, the reddening of his cheeks even more visible under the candle light.

"Don't change the subject," Alec reprimanded him. "I'm mad at you. I'm missing the game because of you!"

"You sound like Raphael," Magnus snorted, rolling his eyes.

Alec seemed to tense suddenly and Magnus frowned, wondering what it was about.

"You haven't answered. What where you trying to do?" Alec asked again, narrowing his eyes at him in a suspicious expression.

"I was redecorating and –"

"Oh my God, stop redecorating every month!" Alec interrupted, throwing his arms up in incredulity.

"Never," Magnus replied with finality. "I was redecorating and I wanted to put up the new fairy lights I fabricated myself, if you must know, and as soon as I plugged them in, everything went dark."

"You fabricated fairy lights?" Alec echoed, raising a skeptic eyebrow. "You?"

"I do not appreciate that tone, Gideon."

"Don't call me Gideon," he groaned, stepping forward to narrow his eyes at Magnus, trying to appear threatening but failing miserably. "Show me these fairy lights. There's probably something wrong with them."

Magnus pouted a little but obliged, grabbing the offending object to hold it out to his neighbor. It took barely two minutes for him to find the problem.

"Magnus! You can't put these light bulbs with a cable that weak! Of course it's going to overload the circuit!"

"I tried, therefore you should not be giving me hell but you should be encouraging me for my efforts," Magnus answered nonchalantly.

"You know you're terrible with your hands when it comes to stuff like that," Alec deadpanned. "You could have electrocuted yourself."

"Alexander, your concern is touching but I'm quite alright. And I would just have been even more electrifying than usual," Magnus joked and Alec did not laugh, rolling his eyes instead. "Also, I'll have you know that I am very good with my hands. I can show you if you want."

He winked at him and Alec clenched his teeth, flexing his jaw. Magnus didn't know if it was because he was exasperated or because he was trying hard not to blush. It was hot either way.

"Now, do you want to try to summon a demon? I haven't lit all these candles for nothing," Magnus offered, smirking.

"I'm out of here. I am going to denounce you to our neighbors right now."

Alec had barely walked two steps before Magnus's voice brought him to a halt.

"I made cupcakes earlier," he said and there was no innocence this time, just plain mischief.

His neighbor turned around to face him, the irritation slowly dissipating from his face.

"Are you trying to bribe me with cupcakes?" he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"Is it working?"

"It might."

"It's hazelnut," Magnus replied mischievously. "Your favorites."

"I'm starting to wonder if you knew this would happen," Alec deadpanned, stepping forward to enter the kitchen.

"Are you trying to say I purposely made the power cut off our floor so I could lure you in my apartment and summon a demon with you?" Magnus faked an offended gasp.

"You might have. You're a terrible person," Alec declared solemnly through a mouthful of cupcake.

"Enough with the compliments, Gideon. You're going to make me blush."

"I will choke you with my bare hands if you call me Gideon one more time."

"What will you do when I'm dead and you have to put up with another neighbor? I'm the best one you'll ever get."

"My life was so peaceful before I met you," Alec sighed.

"I hope that by peaceful, you mean boring because otherwise, no more cupcakes for you, cupcake," Magnus threatened half-heartedly.

"Did you just call me cupcake?"

"Yep," he replied with a roguish grin. "It suits you, you know, with your undying love for cupcakes."

"I have a proposition for you," Alec said, his impassive eyes rooting Magnus to the spot.

"It's a bit early to get married, honey, we haven't even been on a proper date yet," Magnus smirked.

"I have a proposition for you," Alec repeated, louder, and it was like he hadn't talked.

"I'm listening."

"You stop with the stupid nicknames," he started, crossing his arms over his chest.

It would have been more impressive if he hadn't had a half-eaten cupcake in one of his hands.

"And what do I get in exchange?" Magnus asked skeptically.

"I don't kill you," Alec deadpanned, glaring.

Magnus laughed, throwing his head back.

"But then who would bake you cupcakes?" he chuckled. "Don't say Isabelle because you know hers might kill you, for real."

Alec tried to groan in defeat, but there was a small smile playing on his lips.

"I guess I'll have to keep you around then," he mumbled half-heartedly, like it was the biggest hardship of his life and then proceeded in stuffing down the rest of his cupcake.

.

His birthday was not Alec's favorite day of the year. Every year, it was a painful reminder that he was growing older and still hopelessly single, as Isabelle liked to call it. He woke up alone in his bed and usually went to bed all the same. He imagined this year would be no different.

He hadn't really planned anything this year. He had never been an outgoing person and he made no exception for his birthday. He had just invited Magnus over in the evening to have dinner and Isabelle and Jace would probably tag along so Clary would be there and probably Simon too, because these days, Isabelle and Simon went everywhere together. It was weird and he wasn't quite sure what was going on there exactly but he hadn't questioned Isabelle further after the first time when she had answered something along the lines of 'I don't know what it is either, I'll let you know when I figure it out'. He was thus waiting for her to do just that so she could report to him later.

He had had a simple day. It was a Friday and his Fridays were usually calm. He only had three classes, one of them being with a small group of students that he particularly liked and somehow, they had been aware it was his birthday because they had brought him a piece of brownie. It had been too dry but he had been touched by the attention anyway. He was ninety-nine percents sure that at least two of these female students had been flirting with him but well, he couldn't blame them for not knowing he was gay so he had dismissed it gently.

He was now on his way home and he found himself as eager as just every other day to just get home, go for a run, take a shower and hang out with Magnus. Basically, he was looking forward to having an evening just like any other one. He didn't need his birthday to be special as long as he had special people around him for the rest of the year.

So it was indeed a bit of a shock when he opened his front door to find his apartment crowded with familiar faces. He jumped slightly when they yelled 'surprise' at him but mostly, it was the overwhelming affection and love for these people that overthrew everything else.

Maybe his birthday wasn't such a bad day of the year after all.

.

The next morning, though, was totally, definitely a bad thing.

Alec woke up to a piercing headache that went all the way from his forehead to the back of his skull. His mouth felt like something had died in it and his stomach was twisting with the obvious abuse he had inflected to it the night before. It was not his first hangover but this was without doubt a painful one. He opened his eyes with difficulty, swearing at the morning lights creeping through the window, and immediately raised a hand to keep them covered. When he managed to open only one of them, he looked around the room, relieved to realize he was in his own bed. It was also the moment he realized he had no recollection of the night before whatsoever.

He sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes and the throbbing in his head increased tenfold, making him groan in pain.

" _Are you flirting with me?"_

" _Alec, dear, I've been flirting with you for the past eight months but thanks for noticing."_

He frowned at the memory, although it was more blurry words in his head than a proper reminiscence. He was about to give up and fall back in his bed when his phone vibrated on his night table. It was a soft noise but it was enough to make him cringe in pain. He grabbed the phone, fumbling at the screen to stop the vibrations and swore when the brightness of the screen attacked his already sensitive eyes.

It was a text from Jace.

 _I have the worst hangover of my life and I think Clary is mad at me but I have no idea why. You were even more of a mess last night. Just let me know if you're alive. Bonus point if you text back before I have to go throw up._

He couldn't even find the strength to chuckle at his brother's antics so he settled for groaning again.

 _I'm alive, although I'm not sure how long I'll be because my head is trying to kill me as I write. What happened last night?_

It took approximately five seconds after he had sent the text for his phone to ring, the noise deafeningly loud in the quiet of his bedroom. He almost threw it across the room but it was Jace and maybe Jace could help him put all the pieces together.

"You don't remember anything?" his brother blurted out as soon as he had picked up.

"Please don't shout," he moaned, squinting his eyes in pain. "I might die if you shout."

"Sorry," Jace said. "What do you remember?"

"Nothing," he sighed, trying to get past the headache to access buried memories. "Oh yes, I remember Simon challenging me to a shot contest. I'm pretty sure I lost if my actual state is anything to go by."

Jace hesitated for a second before clearing his throat. "Do you remember… anything else?"

If he had been able to move in the first place, Alec would have probably frozen on the spot. His brother's tone was the most worrying thing he had heard in his life.

"What happened?" he asked hastily. "What did I do?"

"Well, first, you told Clary that you were grateful she was dating me because now you didn't have to babysit me anymore… rude!"

"Jace, I don't regret saying that because it's true. What did I do that I am going to regret?"

Jace cleared his throat again and it was doing horrible things to Alec's nerves and his head was still throbbing so he really didn't need that right now.

"I'm pretty sure you had sex with Magnus," his brother finally announced slowly, dragging the words like he was forcing them out of his mouth.

"What?" he yelled and regretted it immediately when his head protested by one particularly painful throb. "And what do you mean pretty sure?"

"By pretty sure, I mean ninety-nine percents," Jace answered sympathetically, his tone softening. "You started making out on the balcony and then you disappeared into your room for a while. When you came back… well, you looked like you had got it on. I know your I-just-had-sex face."

Alec closed his eyes and almost dropped the phone, groaning loudly.

"I hate you," he sighed. "What didn't you stop me?"

"To be fair, I don't think anyone could have stopped you," Jace said and there was so much truth in that that it was almost more painful than the throbbing ache in his temples. "You were too far gone. Also, I was drunk myself. I'm guessing you can't tell me why Clary could be mad at me with your no recollection thing and all…"

"I don't know and right now, sorry but I don't give a shit," Alec grunted out, rubbing at his temples in an effort to make the pain go away.

"I had forgotten how lovely you were when you're hangover."

"Jace! This is not a joke. I had sex with Magnus!"

"If it makes you feel any better, he was wasted too," Jace put in unhelpfully.

"How is that supposed to make me feel better?" he asked incredulously.

"I don't know. I think I'm still drunk."

There was a long silence after that. Alec was actively questioning every decision he had ever made in his life and Jace was probably busy wondering what he had done to Clary.

"Alec, it's fine," he said eventually. "Just go talk to him, he's literally next door."

"It's not fine," Alec growled. "How am I supposed to look at him in the eyes? And Raphael?"

"What? Did you have sex with Raphael too?"

Alec really wanted to call him an asshole.

"No! Well, I don't think so but I don't remember anything so who knows?" he blurted out, his voice heavy with irritation that was only directed at himself. "I'm never drinking again," he sighed more quietly.

"You said that after Time Square and look what happened now," Jace snickered and Alec hated him a lot. "Take an aspirin, shower and go talk to him! You can't avoid him forever anyway. Call me back when you've done that. As for me, I am going to go throw up and then, I'm going to find out why Clary isn't talking to me."

And without further ado, he hung up.

So Alec did just that. It took him ten full minutes to get out of bed but he managed, tripping on his own feet on his way to the bathroom. He swallowed two aspirins hastily and went straight to the shower.

.

 _He was on his balcony with Magnus and his head was whirling with alcohol. The cigarette burning between his fingers was a pleasant distraction to the spinning, grounding him. Yet, somehow, neither the alcohol nor the cigarette managed to be as intoxicating as the man in front of him._

 _Alcohol had always been a driving force for Alec to accomplish every of his uninhibited thoughts and desires so right now, he needed all the self control he could call upon to resist kissing Magnus until he was squirming under his lips. It was harder than it should have been, especially when Raphael wasn't there._

" _So," he said, swaying a little on his feet, "who organized it? I really didn't see it coming and that's quite an achievement considering Jace was involved."_

" _That would be your sister and I," Magnus replied with a smile. "And I think your brother kept his mouth shut because Clary threatened to stop the sexting if he opened it."_

 _Alec pulled a disgusted face. "I did not need to know that."_

 _Magnus chuckled, his laugh a bit slurred by the alcohol, and moved closer to Alec, leaning against his arm. It was really not helping Alec's restraint._

" _You asked, cupcake."_

" _We said no more nicknames," he growled, his skin prickling where Magnus was touching it._

" _You said. I didn't agree to anything," Magnus retorted with a smirk. "And we both know you're not going to kill me. You're too pretty to go to jail."_

" _I could move out," Alec countered, putting his cigarette out and dropping it in the ashtray they had settled on the wall that separated their apartments months ago._

" _You wouldn't!" Magnus gasped, faking offense, putting a hand over his chest. "Where would I find an ass as delectable as yours to check out?"_

 _And really, it was cruel of Magnus to do that to him. He didn't blush, because the alcohol had already taken care of that, but he had to tighten his grip on the wall to keep command of his body. His mind was another story._

 _He knew Magnus flirted with everyone but it was too much right now, when the alcohol was burning away the walls he had so carefully built for months._

" _Are you flirting with me?" he blurted out, his voice shaking with too many emotions._

 _Magnus chuckled and glanced at him, turning his head to look into his eyes._

" _Alec, dear, I've been flirting with you for the past eight months but thanks for noticing," he said, his voice heavy with sarcasm and whiskey._

" _You shouldn't," he grumbled, clenching his teeth in both sudden anger and annoyance. "It's not fair."_

 _Magnus frowned and Alec was so close to him that he could follow the movement of his eyebrow curving in confusion._

" _Why?" he asked and for a second, Alec wanted to push him away and run as far as possible._

 _It was impossible for Magnus not to know what he was doing and why it was wrong._

" _Because one of these days," he whispered slowly, making every word count, "I'm going to lose it and kiss you."_

 _Magnus blinked once, twice and he smirked, his lips slowly twitching up. His green eyes lit up and he turned to face Alec fully, staring straight into his eyes._

" _Do it."_

 _It was challenging, a clear provocation and it was the last pull Alec needed to forget all about his reluctances. His remaining willpower shattered to the ground and he lunged forward, crashing their mouths together. Magnus made a pleased noise in the back of his throat, his fingers grabbing at Alec's shirt to bring him closer and he kissed back fervently, not leaving any room for Alec to think twice about it. He probably wouldn't have anyway._

 _Alec pushed forward, forcing him to step back against the wall, sheltering his body with his own. He was shaking with desire, his hands trembling fiercely so he settled for sliding them under Magnus's silk shirt, stroking the naked skin there. His heart missed a beat when Magnus's hands knotted in his hair, pulling softly but enough to make him draw back. His lips moved automatically to nip at Magnus's jaw line then lower to suck on his pulse point._

" _Alec, we should stop," Magnus whispered but he was stretching his neck to allow him further access."We're not exactly alone."_

 _Alec's lips moved back higher and stopped against his ear. "Bedroom," he murmured, biting lightly on the lobe._

" _Fuck," Magnus moaned._

" _That's the plan," Alec breathed back, chuckling lightly._

 _He pulled away reluctantly, stared for a second straight into Magnus's eyes which were burning with intensity and a pure desire that he was sure was reflected in his own eyes, and he grabbed his hand, drawing him inside after him._

" _Use protections!" Jace slurred at them when they stepped into his living room to find his brother looking at them, pointing a finger at them with the hand that was holding his cup, the other hand stretched against the wall to support himself._

 _He stopped for a second, his eyes darting around the room but no one else was paying attention to them._

" _Go have sex," Jace groaned, waving them away. "I'll cover for you if anyone asks."_

 _Alec decided the best answer was to ignore him and continue his road to the bedroom, pulling Magnus behind him. It seemed miles away._

 _._

"Shit," Alec whispered to no one when the shower started clearing his mind enough to bring back some memories.

This was a disaster.

But Jace was right, he needed to talk to Magnus. He could not just ignore what had happened.

He took some time to muster his courage, drink a coffee and try to recall the rest of his memories.

It was all coming back in waves. It was in the creeping sensation in his stomach, the prickling of his skin, the ghost of a feeling against his lips. If he was honest, it was also in the soreness of his body.

He was lost in his own thoughts when his phone vibrated on the table, signaling a new text.

 _TALK TO HIM!_

Jace was nothing if not adamant.

So, finally, and it was already early afternoon, he took a deep breath and left his apartment to knock on his neighbor's door. It was odd to do so when he hadn't knocked in weeks. He usually let himself in but right now, he wanted to leave to Magnus the option of leaving him outside if he didn't want to face him. Maybe he hoped he would a little bit.

Magnus did not, of course, because he had never backed away from a challenge and even less from a confrontation. He was too honest and too straightforward for that.

"Hey," he said when he saw Alec standing on his threshold.

He was sporting a nasty red mark on his neck and his hair was done but his make-up wasn't so Alec knew he hadn't been up for long.

He cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly on his feet. "C-Can I come in? We need to talk."

He was surprised by the shakiness of his own voice. It was still Magnus after all.

"Of course," Magnus said and he moved aside to let him in. "You don't have to ask."

Magnus went to the kitchen to put the coffee machine on while Alec sat on the couch, looking around like he was seeing the place for the first time. He felt uncomfortable in his own skin and his heart was hammering in his chest. His headache had weakened but he could still feel a slight draw at the back of his skull, painful reminder that he should never drink again.

Magnus brushed his fingers when he held him a mug.

" _Are you going to regret this in the morning?" Magnus breathed into his mouth, both his hands working on unbuttoning Alec's shirt._

" _I don't know," he whispered back, hooking his fingers in Magnus's belt loops to pull him closer._

The worst thing was that even sober, he didn't know. Was he really regretting it? He had wanted it for so long, now that it had happened and he was still working on putting the pieces together, it felt surreal.

It occurred to him that he was staring into space, Magnus quietly looking at him from where he was sitting on the other couch, the mug fuming in his hands. He was frowning slightly and Alec could see that he was trying to read his own expressions, to gauge his potential reactions. How could he read anything when Alec himself had no idea what to say or do?

Eventually, Magnus seemed to run out of patience because he cleared his throat and moved to sit cross-legged on the couch, holding the mug protectively in his hands. His whole posture was defensive, like he expected Alec to wound him and it hurt, it hurt so much that Alec felt his heart clench painfully in his chest.

"So," Magnus said and his voice was hoarse, "we slept together."

Alec couldn't do anything but nod weakly.

"Alexander, are you going to talk to me or even look at me or are you going to keep ignoring me?" Magnus asked and it wasn't unkind, just tired.

"We have to tell Raphael," Alec whispered, mostly to himself.

"I beg your pardon?"

"We have to tell Raphael," he repeated, loud and clear, raising his eyes to really look at Magnus.

It was almost insulting, the way Magnus's eyes widened in surprise and he gaped at Alec like he had just grown a second head.

"Pardon?" Magnus echoed and really, this conversation was getting nowhere.

His neighbor seemed to realize that because he shook his head, bewilderment still obvious on his features.

"Why would we have to tell Raphael?" Magnus inquired.

"Really?" Alec snapped, glaring at him, a creeping anger rising in him. "Because I feel fucking guilty, that's why!"

"Okay, Alec, you lost me."

Alec rose to his feet and regretted in a second his quick motion because his head throbbed again. He started pacing the room, irrationally mad. He could not believe that Magnus didn't feel one ounce of culpability over the night before. Raphael was the only reason why Alec himself felt so bad and he didn't even really liked him but for Magnus to dismiss his worry like that, it just made his blood boil.

"Are you serious?" he nearly yelled, glaring accusingly at his still stupefied neighbor. "If it's a joke, it's not funny, Magnus! We have to tell Raphael!"

"Tell me what?"

Alec spun around and froze in the spot. In his daze, he had not heard him come in.

Raphael was standing near the door, his dark red leather jacket bringing out the paleness of his skin. He had crossed his arms and was frowning, looking at Magnus with a protective fierceness. Alec didn't know if it was because he had just been shouting at him or if it was just him being a possessive boyfriend. He didn't like it either way.

Magnus turned to look at Raphael over his shoulder, glancing at him with something like wonder on his face.

"Apparently, I have to tell you that Alec and I had sex last night," he blurted out and he sounded as surprised as he looked. "If you make sense of this, let me know."

Alec's mouth fell open. Okay, he had wanted them to tell the truth to Raphael but he had imagined they could do it smoothly, not just blurt it out to him like that.

To his great shock, Raphael's face twisted in a disgusted grimace.

"Why would I want to know that?" he exclaimed, revulsion clear on his face. "I don't want to know about your sex life!"

Alec was wondering in which dimension he had landed this morning, or if maybe he had mixed his alcohol with drugs the night before, when they both turned to him in a perfectly synchronized movement.

"What do you mean you don't want to know?" he blurted out loudly before anyone of them could talk.

"I mean exactly that," Raphael replied, raising an eyebrow. "Are you feeling okay? Should we take you to a doctor?"

"I don't need a doctor!" Alec fully yelled this time. "I need to understand what is going on and why you don't seem bothered that I had sex with your boyfriend last night!"

Alec had never had to live through a silence like the one that followed his outburst. His head was flooding with confusion and the feeble memories of the night before. He couldn't talk right now. He needed to process.

Magnus and Raphael gaped at him, then at each other, then at him again, their eyes widening progressively.

"Unless you flew to Peru yesterday and came back this morning, I don't think you had sex with my boyfriend last night," Raphael stated eventually.

Alec gave up. His shoulders slouched in defeat and he let himself fall back onto the couch, rubbing his temples with his palms. Nothing was making any sense. Next to him, Chairman Meow stirred from his nap, opening bored eyes and closing them back immediately when he recognized the familiar body.

"You… You think Raphael is my boyfriend?" Magnus muttered under his breath.

His gaze was lost into space for a second before he focused back on Alec. He looked like he had just had an epiphany.

Alec let himself take in his expression, the words, the meaning behind them and it all came crashing at him like a speeding car.

"Oh God," he whispered to himself, feeling more stupid than he ever had before. "He isn't, is he?"

He glanced up just in time to see that Raphael had joined Magnus on the couch and they were both shaking their heads at him. He swore to himself that he would never call Jace idiotic again.

"You're not dating?" he breathed out.

"No," Magnus and Raphael said in a same voice.

"We did, a long time ago," Magnus added. "Raphael is my best friend and he has been dating a very good friend of mine for four years –"

"Five," Raphael interrupted.

"Five years," Magnus corrected, rolling his eyes. "Ragnor, Raphael's boyfriend, has been away since last summer in Peru for work. He's coming back in September."

His tone was gentle, like it would be if he was speaking to a child, explaining him how the world functioned. Alec had forgotten how he functioned himself.

"You're not dating," he repeated, with an affirmative tone this time.

"Alexander, can I ask you what made you believe we were dating?" Magnus asked softly, almost tenderly.

It did funny things to Alec's stomach and for once, he let it happen. He had no reason not to. He did not except the relief that came with this simple conclusion.

"You're always calling him darling."

"Like I do with everyone," Magnus replied, brow furrowed in confusion.

"He does it to wind me up," Raphael added cautiously and for once, there was no superiority in his tone. "He knows I hate it."

"You go on dates once a week," Alec went on accusingly, but there was no heat behind his words, only bewilderment. "You make reservations!"

"We both like good food," Raphael explained, "and I hadn't seen Magnus for a long time before he came back to New York so we made a point of having dinner once a week."

"Your mother loves him," he said, talking to Raphael but pointing at Magnus.

"She does," Magnus smirked.

"We've known each other since we were kids," Raphael put in helpfully. "So yeah, Magnus knows my mother and she likes him."

"She loves me," Magnus corrected.

Alec and Raphael rolled their eyes in perfect sync.

"You went on a holiday together in March!" Alec continued, real blame in his tone this time.

"We went to Peru," Magnus clarified, the smirk already gone from his face, all seriousness again. "To see Ragnor. Raphael's boyfriend."

It was all Alec could think about for now. Maybe soon he would have more questions coming back but right now, he took everything in. He wondered if they could see the wheels of his brains running at a million miles per hour because he sure could feel them himself. It was like seeing the light and suddenly, he could perceive everything clearly.

Magnus had not been flirting with him because he flirted with everyone. Magnus had been flirting with him because he liked him, really liked him. The knowledge filled him with such delight and peace of mind that his heart skipped a beat and he had to hold his breath for a second.

Alec glanced back up at Magnus.

"So… you're single?" he asked, because right now, it was all that mattered to him.

"Very much so," Magnus said.

Alec had never felt relief like he did in that moment.

His heart was hammering in his chest and for a second, he wondered if it would just burst out of his chest from the cheer force of it.

He couldn't think more about it. Clearly, he had done too much thinking these past few months.

He let out a deep breath and rose from the couch hastily, making Chairman Meow jump in his haze. He lunched forward, grabbing Magnus's by the collar to pull him to his feet. He ignored his surprised cry and smashed their mouths together.

For a moment that seemed to last an eternity and was probably only a few seconds, Magnus stood there frozen in shock, not knowing what to do with himself. And then, he kissed back and Alec's whole world exploded. He forgot all about Raphael, about everything being so different from what he had thought and focused entirely on Magnus. He poured his whole being into the kiss, from the frustration he had built up for months to the relief he was feeling now, making him lighter than a feather. Kissing Magnus was like chasing after a hurricane and Alec didn't mind the danger or the breathtaking tension that went through his body, his mind, his soul. Kissing Magnus was everything he had imagined it would be and more.

He didn't feel even slightly ashamed when he moaned as Magnus nipped at his bottom lip and he opened his mouth, their tongues meeting heatedly.

"Don't mind me," Raphael deadpanned.

Alec pulled back reluctantly, staring straight into Magnus's green eyes.

Raphael stood from the couch, clearing his throat.

"I was just coming to see if you were still alive," he said, pointing at his not-boyfriend. "You left me a very alarming voice message last night. You sounded very drunk."

"I was. I'm all sober now and I need you to leave unless you want to see things your pure and innocent eyes shouldn't see," Magnus stated, fully smirking.

"I'm already gone," Raphael replied and he was back to his usual charming self.

A second later, the front door was closing behind him.

Magnus turned back to face Alec who was looking at him like he was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. And in that moment, he was. Oh, he so was.

"So, how would you feel about being not single?" Alec asked, his voice shaking with emotions and a slight apprehension.

Magnus beamed that gorgeous, luminous smile of his and slid his arms around Alec's neck.

"I think I could be persuaded," he whispered and he kissed him again.

* * *

 **Hello lovelies,**

 **See? I'm not so evil after all :).**

 **Did you like this chapter as much as I predicted? Let me know! :)**

 **Thank you again for the amazing support, you are the sweetest sweets to ever sweet.**

 **Next chapter will be posted on Wednesday (this is considering Alec and Magnus don't kiss in tomorrow's episode because if they do, I will not survive!).**

 **Here's your cookie:**  
 _ **"Get these smug smiles out of your faces," Jace said after one look at them. "The whole point of the walk of shame is that you're supposed to look ashamed."**_  
 _ **"Is it still a walk of shame if you can barely walk?" Magnus retorted, an arrogant smirk playing on his lips.**_  
 _ **Alec felt his cheeks burn.**_  
 _ **"Magnus!" he, Jace and Clary exclaimed disapprovingly in a same voice.**_

 **Cheeky Magnus is the best Magnus!**

 **Thank you all again!**

 **All the love,**  
 **L.**


	7. Love and War

" _If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."_  
― George Orwell

.

"So, when you said you would kill me if I continued with the nicknames, I had not imagined you would be doing it with sex."

Alec laughed through his heavy breathing and turned in the bed to glance at Magnus. His blue eyes were lit with joy and it was such a good look on him that Magnus had to lean in to kiss him. Alec moaned against his lip, his hands wandering against the bare skin of Magnus's back. He almost started purring under his ministrations.

They were rudely interrupted by a loud ringtone and Alec pulled away with a reluctant groan. He extracted himself out of Magnus's arms and got out of bed to grab his phone in his jeans pocket. Jace's picture was blaring on his screen and he couldn't hold back a sigh.

He turned around to face Magnus to find him ogling his naked body with interest.

"Stop staring at my ass," he said but there was no heat behind his words.

"Make me," Magnus teased, smirking.

Alec rolled his eyes and picked up the phone. His voice sounded hoarse even to his own ears.

"I'm in front of your door and you're not there," Jace announced without preamble. "I'm with Clary. It turns out she was not mad at me, she was just hangover. Badly."

"Why are you in front of my door?" Alec growled, crawling back in bed to snuggle against Magnus, tangling their legs together.

"I came to check you were still alive," Jace stated, "because I'm a good brother. Where are you?"

Alec let a silence settle for a second before he cleared his throat. "I'm at Magnus's."

"Oh, great, we're coming," Jace said.

"Wait!" he blurted out hastily before he could try to compose himself. "Give us a few minutes."

"Oh God, you're both naked, aren't you?"

Alec cleared his throat again, a light blush rising to his cheeks. "Yep."

"Okay, you have five minutes," Jace said and he sounded like he was doing them a great favor.

Alec hung up and immediately buried his face against Magnus's neck, breathing in his peculiar scent.

"So, I'm guessing we have to get out of bed?" he whispered against Alec's ear, his fingers playing with his dark hair.

He groaned, pressing a kiss against his throat. "Maybe if we ignore them long enough, they'll just go away."

Magnus chuckled, his fingers slipping from his hair to go stroke the nape of his neck.

"I don't claim to know your brother as well as you do but I think we both know that's not going to happen," he said and Alec could feel his smirk against his ear.

"Fine," he sighed.

He reluctantly pulled away from Magnus, flexing his shoulders to stretch his sore muscles and hurriedly got out of bed again, putting on his clothes layered on the floor. Magnus did the same and he couldn't help but steal a glance or two (or three). He had to stop himself before he would lose his restraint and undress him again. He felt slightly reassured when he caught Magnus staring too.

They were just making their way through the corridor when Jace and Clary burst into the living room.

"Get these smug smiles out of your faces," Jace said after one look at them. "The whole point of the walk of shame is that you're supposed to look ashamed."

"Is it still a walk of shame if you can barely walk?" Magnus retorted, an arrogant smirk playing on his lips.

Alec felt his cheeks burn.

"Magnus!" he, Jace and Clary exclaimed in a same disapproving voice.

"Way too much information," Jace grunted, closing his eyes for a second, frowning. "This is my brother you're gushing about."

"Sorry," Magnus said but he didn't sound nor looked apologetic at all.

Alec rolled his eyes but still stepped closer to him, like pulled by a magnetic force.

They gathered in the living room couches and Alec leaned against Magnus's side, just because he could, the guilt that he had sported for months completely vanished into thin air. It was liberating.

"I'm happy for you guys," Clary exclaimed as she sat down. "It was long overdue, I was starting to despair. Eight damn months!"

"Well, it's actually a funny story," Magnus started eagerly, already laughing.

"Don't," Alec cut in sternly.

"Oh darling, I will tell Clary whether you are here or not," he replied with a smirk and Alec hated it a little bit (or not at all but well, he could still try to pretend). "And she will tell Jace so might as well get it over with!"

Alec groaned crankily, crossing his arms over his chest in defeat.

"So, what's the story?" Jace chimed in, one of his eyebrows raised curiously. "Please keep it as devoid of erotic details as possible."

Magnus leaned forward and dropped his voice confidentially, an amused spark dancing in his green eyes.

"Our dear Alexander here thought I was dating Raphael."

Clary's brow furrowed in confusion, her red hair flying around her face as she glanced at Alec. "What?"

"I had good reasons," Alec grumbled through clenched teeth, his cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"He came to see me this afternoon," Magnus continued eagerly, "yelling at me that we had to tell Raphael that we had sex last night which, by the way, was pretty cute. I like your honesty," he was looking at Alec with something that resembled a lot like awe but quickly turned back to his guests. "I let you imagine my confusion."

Jace and Clary were listening attentively at Magnus as he launched into the story but all the while they were gaping at Alec, who was staring at the coffee table, silently hoping that the couch would just swallow him whole. Jace would never let him hear the end of this.

When he was done, Jace burst into laughter. Clary had at least the decency of hiding her grin behind her hand.

"You mean for eight months you didn't do anything because you thought Magnus was dating Raphael?" Jace said through his mirth. "Have you seen them together? Why didn't you tell me about it?"

"Because you would have told me to go for it even if they were indeed dating," Alec growled back and he was almost sulking. Jace didn't argue. "And they could have been one of these couples who are together even though they don't really like each other."

"Oh, that's exactly how they were when they were dating," Clary put in and she was fully smirking now. Alec hated them all. "It was a disaster."

"It was," Magnus confirmed with a quick nod. "Raphael and I are _not_ meant to be together for too long. We always end up wanting to kill each other somehow."

"And you call him your best friend?" Alec deadpanned but there was a real question in his intonation.

Magnus shrugged, a fond smile on his lips. It was odd to see him talking about Raphael now that he knew they were not involved romantically. There was an unfathomable affection in his eyes but Alec could see clearly now that there was nothing remotely romantic about it. It was nothing like the way Magnus looked at him. It filled Alec with a deep sense of content.

It almost made up for the teasing he had to endure from Jace all night long.

.

When he had asked Isabelle to come over, Alec had not been expecting her to arrive with Simon on toe but then again, they were rarely without each other these days.

"What's the deal with you two?" he blurted out before he could think twice about it.

"We're… figuring it out," Isabelle replied with a dismissing wave.

"Which means poor Simon is just waiting for you to realize you want to date him," Alec deadpanned.

"Pretty much," Simon put in. "But it's alright, I'm patient."

Alec smiled in spite of himself. He would sure need a lot of patience if he was going to put up with his sister. Simon was so different from all the men Isabelle had dated before and maybe it was a good thing. First, because he was much less impressive than the other ones so Alec could easily threaten him into behaving properly. Second, because he looked so smitten that Alec probably wouldn't even have to give him the speech. Finally, he actually liked Simon, which could not be said for any of her previous boyfriends, or whatever she wanted to call it.

"So, you wanted to talk?" Isabelle asked and she seemed eager to change the subject, her pale cheeks sprinkling with a light blush.

Alec was oddly relieved to see he wasn't the only Lightwood who could blush, it was refreshing.

"Yeah," he said, clearing his throat awkwardly, darting his eyes to Magnus, who was sitting next to him silently, giving him an encouraging smile.

His fingers were prickling with the need to reach out, even if it was just to put a hand on his shoulder. After months of holding himself back, forbidding himself to be too close, too intimate, he couldn't stop touching him now, even if it was just a brush of their fingers or a stroke of their shoulders. It was invigorating.

"We're dating," he said solemnly, pointing at his boyfriend.

The word still seemed weird in his mind, but in the best way possible. In the way that it was new and ultimately bond to happen all at once. Unable to hold himself back any longer, he stepped toward him, sliding an arm around his shoulder. Magnus glanced up at him from his seat and grabbed his hand with a tender smile.

"What?" Isabelle yelled.

"Congratulations!" Simon beamed at the same time. "Finally!"

His good wishes were buried under Isabelle's reaction. Alec glared at her, his mouth falling open in surprise.

"Are you going to react like you did for Alaric?" he blurted out, his jaw flexing with irritation. "Because if you are, I am going to be very angry."

"I reacted like that because of Operation Malec!" Isabelle shouted and she looked genuinely upset but somehow, it didn't seem to be directed at his relationship with Magnus. "Do you have any idea how hard I've been shipping you two?"

"Shipping? Operation Malec?" Alec echoed, frowning in confusion. "Are you having a stroke?"

"I think she means she's happy for us, darling," Magnus helpfully put in.

"Of course I'm happy for you!" Isabelle exclaimed. "I've been trying to get you two together. That's what Operation Malec was about."

"Care to explain?" Alec asked, not more enlightened than before.

"Oh, I get it," Magnus cut in before Isabelle had a chance to explain. Alec was pretty sure she wouldn't have make sense anyway. "We're like a famous couple," he added with a proud smirk.

"Huh?"

"Like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are Brangelina. Magnus and Alec. Malec."

It took a few seconds for Alec to understand what he was talking about but when he finally did, he turned back to face his sister.

"You had a code name for your evil matchmaking plan?"

"Of course I had," she said matter-of-factly. "Every good plan must have a code name."

Alec rolled his eyes at his sister's antics.

.

Simon was looking at his surroundings awkwardly. He had no idea why Isabelle had asked him to meet her in a Chinese restaurant in the middle of Brooklyn that looked like they were cooking everything directly on the floor. His questions vanished when the doors pushed open and she entered the room. He wondered for a second if he was the only one who couldn't tear his eyes away from her every time she came into a room before he realized the answer didn't really matter, not when she grinned at him, only him, like seeing him had just made her day.

She sat in front of him.

"This place looks really bad," he whispered, leaning forward as if to tell her a secret.

"I know," she replied cheerfully, "but the food is great and the cocktails are really inexpensive."

Simon laughed, shaking his head in fond exasperation.

"So," she said, taking her menu to study it, purposely ignoring his eyes, "I need to talk to you about something."

For a second, Simon thought she was going to break up with him and he felt his heart tighten painfully in his chest, preventing him from breathing. He didn't say anything though. He just gulped difficultly, discreetly rubbing his sweaty palms against his jeans.

"I think we should date," Isabelle blurted out, "for real."

He almost laughed in her face. He didn't know how to explain to her that they had been dating _for real_ for months without triggering the fierce glance he both feared and loved. Dating Isabelle was like living on the edge constantly. It was terrifying, but exhilarating all at once. It was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

"Okay," he said instead, smiling fondly at her.

She nodded, apparently satisfied with his answer and grabbed his collar, pulling him over the table to plant a kiss on his lips. Simon did not complain.

.

Magnus's favorite thing about having a boyfriend was the never-lacking affection.

Alec was a guarded person but when he loved, he loved with his whole person, body and soul. He didn't hold back and it was magical.

When Alec came home from work, he had a ritual that Magnus had learnt by heart in the months they had been neighbors. He would drop his shoulder bag in his living room, go straight to the kitchen to wash his hands (because he was a bit of a neat-freak when it came to the subway) and settle in front of TV with either a beer or a tall glass of water or go to his balcony for some fresh air. Sometimes, he would go for a run but he liked it better in the mornings. Now, his routine had been broken by Magnus himself and he had no regrets.

Instead of settling in front of TV now, Alec would just come straight to Magnus's apartment without bothering to knock and join him in whatever he was doing. Magnus made it a point to be hanging around his bedroom whenever Alec was coming home from the campus. Alec knew exactly what he was doing but he was far from complaining about it.

Magnus's favorite thing about having Alec as a boyfriend was probably the way he would snuggle against him after sex, burying his face into his neck to drop lazy kisses against his burning skin. That, and the fantastic abs but then again, he was a bit biased.

It was one of these days. They were lying in bed, their legs tangled together, catching back their breaths and Alec had already hidden his nose against his throat, his eyelashes fluttering against Magnus's jaw line, making him giggle.

"One of these days, I should probably take you out properly," Alec mumbled and his lips brushing against his skin made a wave of shivers run down Magnus's spine. "We haven't been on a real date yet."

Magnus chuckled, pushing against his chest to pine him down the mattress, both hands surrounding Alec's face.

"I don't know," he muttered mischievously, bending over to press a kiss to his lips. "I'm not sure if I can behave long enough not to traumatize the other customers."

"I'm sure you can make an effort," Alec retorted, his lips twitching with the beginning of a smile that Magnus had to kiss away.

"I could try," he said softly against his mouth, making it sound like it was the hardest thing he had done in his life. "So does that mean I've been corrupting you when we're not even officially dating?"

The mischief in his voice forced Alec to roll his eyes. "Corrupt me? I thought we had established that I was not a virgin before I met you, Magnus."

"Oh, yeah," he murmured against his lips, smirking, his fingers sliding to tangle with Alec's over his head. "The History teacher."

This time, Alec blushed. "I should have known better than to tell you that," he grumbled.

Magnus's lips traveled from his mouth to his jaw line then his neck, gently biting there. Alec moaned, rolling his hips against his.

"Did he teach you to do that?" Magnus asked breathlessly, his lips wandering lower.

"Can you not talk about him when we're in bed?" Alec growled, his head thrown back against the pillow, lips parted in pleasure.

"Yeah, you're right," Magnus replied. "Screw him."

"How about you screw me instead?"

Magnus chuckled and did just that.

They went on a date. Magnus did not behave. At all.

.

Jace was not a worrier. He was more of a carefree, go-with-the-wind-and-fuck-it-all kind of person. Yet, he found himself pacing in front of the door like knocking was the biggest challenge he had even come across in his entire life. Probably because it was.

Jace had had his fair share of girlfriends (Alec had called him a whore too many times for it to be ordinary). But there had never been anyone like Clary. Clary took his breath away because she was beautiful but also because she was kind and fierce and wild and stubborn. Also, violent, as he had learnt to know very quickly. That could be a good thing, though. He had not expected to fall as rapidly and as hard as he had but there he was now and honestly, he didn't regret it for one moment.

Or maybe one moment and it was this one because for all the girlfriends he had had, he had never before had to endure the meeting with the parents. He had always managed to break it up before they arrived to that point, or just to come up with excuses to avoid it. Clary was different.

So there he was, completely losing his cool, glaring at the door like it had personally offended him. It was more as a challenge to the door (which seemed to be oddly judging him and really, that made no sense but Jace had never claimed to be someone who made any sense) that he finally raised his hand to knock.

To his great relief, it was Clary who opened the door. She took one long look at him and burst into laughter.

"You look like you're about to run away," she giggled, pulling him in by the collar of his jacket.

She pecked him lightly on the lips and it was almost enough to make his worry vanish. Almost.

"Relax," she said with a soft smile, "it's going to be fine."

Jace nodded nervously, clearing his throat to try to appear composed. She seemed to see right through him but didn't comment any further. Instead, she took his hand, dragging him behind her.

"Mom, Luke! This is Jace, my boyfriend," she announced loudly, stepping in the kitchen.

The couple turned in a same movement to face them and Jace had to resist the urge to freeze in panic. He could do this. It was not so complicated. He was a charming person or so he had been told.

"Hi," he blurted out lamely, waving his free hand at them.

Clary's mother smiled at him, stepping forward to shake his hand. "Call me Jocelyn," she said gently. She had the same red hair as Clary but the resemblance didn't stop there. It was in the soft features too and in the way her eyes shone with kindness. She made him feel welcome immediately.

The man followed closely and Jace gulped difficultly when he shook his hand as well, probably more robustly than necessary.

"I'm Mr. Garroway to you," he said coldly.

Jace nodded anxiously, his stomach twisting with nerves and had to stop himself from running away. So much for being the brave, reckless hothead of the family, he thought bitterly.

"So," the man continued, "do you plan on marrying my daughter or are you just fooling around?"

Jace felt his mouth falling open before he could stop it. He started stammering, his face flushing a deep red and for a second, he felt like Alec probably did every day. He didn't like it. Being shy sucked.

He darted his eyes to Clary quickly, panic obvious in his own golden ones and she was staring at them, her arms crossed, but there was a spark in her gaze, amusement and fondness tangled together. Jace turned back to Mr. Garroway, who was now biting his bottom lip, looking like he was about to burst.

He indeed burst, but into laughter, dropping a strong hand on Jace's shoulder.

"I'm just messing with you," he cackled. "I'm Luke. It's nice to meet you."

Jace released a deep breath and took a couple of seconds to calm his racing mind. Luke was still laughing and suddenly, he was serious again. It was very disorientating.

"Although if you do mess with her, I will kill you. I'm a cop, I know a lot of ways to hide your body so that no one will ever find it," he deadpanned.

This time, Jace found the strength to chuckle softly, passing a nervous hand in his hair.

"I'm not joking anymore," Luke added, staring right into his eyes. "Hurt her and you will disappear from the surface of Earth."

Jace gulped difficulty, nodding in understanding.

"Great," Luke exclaimed, clapping his hands together as he turned around to face Jocelyn, who was shaking his head at him in exasperation. "I hope you like Indian food."

Jace did not. He ate it anyway.

.

Alec had come out to his family a long, long time ago.

Isabelle and Jace had accepted it easily, mostly because they had both known before he had even opened his mouth. His parents had been more complicated to convince, especially his father but eventually, he had come around and had stopped giving Alec ashamed looks. He wasn't overjoyed about it now but at least, Alec didn't have to hide in front of him.

So, he had come out a long time ago to his friends and his family and that didn't mean he went around telling people he was gay as a way of introducing himself. He was gay, yes, but he was also many other things that seemed more relevant to set himself up, especially in some environments. Like work, for example.

Some of his colleagues knew, mostly the ones he got along with, like Maia and Aline, and some didn't know but it wasn't because he was trying to hide it. It was just that he never had had the opportunity of telling them.

The opportunity appeared in the shape of his gorgeous boyfriend one beautiful day of June.

Alec was finishing a lecture about Norse Mythology, trying to conceal the roll of his eyes whenever he mentioned Loki and a couple of nerds snickered at the back of the amphitheater when he caught sight of a familiar shadow near the door and started stammering.

Alec did not stammer in front of his classes. He was even fairly confident, probably because he was passionate about his subject but the simple sight of his boyfriend was enough to make him lose his cool. He had left the door open because it was a nice day and it allowed a pleasant draft to dash through the room that would otherwise end up smelling like sweat and fuming brains but if he had known that Magnus would show up, maybe he would have closed it. Damn him for always provoking these reactions in him.

Magnus caught his gaze from where he was standing in the corridor and winked playfully, full grin on display.

Alec stuttered again before clearing his throat and turning back toward his class. Some students were smirking at him knowingly and he resisted the urge to swear under his breath. He finished his lecture rapidly, grateful when he didn't tripped over his tongue again. When he dismissed them, most students started moving to leave but some of them stayed resolutely in their seats, staring at him expectantly.

"Don't you have other classes to get to?" he asked firmly, raising an eyebrow as he put his laptop back in his shoulder bag.

They didn't answer but some of their gazes were fixed on Magnus, who had now entered the room and was leaning against the wall next to the front door. Alec rolled his eyes and shook his head incredulously. He was wearing a barely buttoned-up electric blue shirt and leather pants that were so tight they looked they had been painted on. Alec hated these pants (that was a filthy lie, they got him hot and bothered every time). As if his outfit wasn't outstanding enough already, he had accessorized it with his silver Doc Martens. He looked beautiful.

Alec turned back to his students.

"Come on, get out of here before I give you an essay to write for tomorrow!" he exclaimed but none of them moved an inch.

He sighed in defeat and grabbed his bag to walk to Magnus, who was smirking mischievously.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, dropping his voice to avoid his students' eavesdropping.

"I wanted to see you," Magnus replied gently. "Why don't you kiss your boyfriend hello?"

"Because I am not going to kiss you in front of my students," Alec argued.

"Are you ashamed of me?" Magnus asked, faking a hurt tone quite poorly.

"Shut up, you know I'm not," he deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "You're the one who should be ashamed for this very bad acting."

"Come on," Magnus muttered, reaching out to grab his elbow gently. "Greet your boyfriend properly."

"Why are you being stubborn?" Alec inquired, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"Theoretically, it might be possible that a hypothetical little bird told me that some of your students have been flirting with you. But that's only hypothetical."

Alec groaned. "I hate that Izzy and you are friends."

"Don't lie, you love it," Magnus retorted.

He rolled his eyes again but it occurred to him what this was really about and he smirked, chuckling softly.

"So basically, you're jealous?" he said quietly, a tenderness he couldn't have restrained making his voice shake slightly.

"It's not jealousy, it's more like a primitive caveman need to claim my territory," Magnus replied lightheartedly. Alec knew him enough to realize he was only half-joking.

He snorted but finally leaned forward, pecking him lightly on the lips. He was about to pull back when Magnus, that filthy traitor, brought his hand behind his neck to hold him there and slid his tongue along his bottom lip and inside his mouth. Alec was left with no other choice than kiss back (and it's was a hardship, he swore) and try his best not to whine for more.

When he deemed the kiss satisfying, Magnus drew back, grinning at him haughtily. Alec did his best to ignore his students who were cheering, whistling or laughing in his back. He flushed, grabbed his boyfriend's hand and flew out of the amphitheater.

"I can't believe you forced me to make out with you in front of my students," he chastised him under his breath as they walked along the corridor.

He tried to sound annoyed, he really did but he failed miserably.

"Yeah, you seemed positively opposed to the idea," Magnus chimed in sarcastically, squeezing his hand, "especially when you bit my lip."

"You're wearing these pants," Alec debated but he quickly realized it wasn't his best argument. "You know what these pants do to me. You cheated."

"All is fair in love and war, Gideon."

"You call it love, I call it emotional manipulation."

"Shut up, you know I love you," Magnus chuckled.

"You're lucky I love you too or I would have kicked your pretty ass."

So, obviously, the next day, his colleagues and the entire campus knew he was gay. The other teachers mostly ignored it, although Maia did make fun for him when the rumor spread that he had basically been caught having sex with his boyfriend in a classroom. Some students even congratulated him for his smoking hot boyfriend (their words, not his, though Magnus was indeed smoking hot) so all in all, it wasn't so bad. He didn't say any of this to Magnus, however, because that would have just made him even more insufferably self-satisfied.

.

They did not fight often. Playful banter and fighting were too very different things.

If they fought, it was mostly about petty things, like Magnus leaving his clothes lying around or being overly friendly with people (people tended to confuse his natural kindness for flirting so they flirted back and Alec _really_ didn't like it) or Alec's clothes (Magnus just wanted him to throw away _that_ particular sweater that was so worn-out it looked grey when it had been brown in the first place). It was alright, though, because the fights never lasted long and they usually made up in the bedroom quite happily.

There was one particular fight, though, that was different from all the others. Different because it was not petty but mostly because it was the first thing that brought them apart since they had met.

"You were married?"

Magnus groaned, leaning against the balcony barrier, and let out a tired sigh. "For six months, it's not a big deal."

Alec had been completely taken aback when he had learnt the news. They had had dinner at Ragnor's apartment. Raphael's boyfriend had finally come back from Peru and he had invited them over to meet "the man who manages to endure Magnus every day", as he had put it himself. So they had gone. The evening had been lovely. Alec had liked Ragnor straight away and when he had seen Raphael with his boyfriend, he had wondered how he could have thought for even one moment that Magnus and he had been dating. Raphael was a very different person around his lover. He was more relaxed and his sarcastic remarks lacked their usual heat. He was almost nice but that would have been slightly excessive.

After dinner, Alec had risen from his seat to walk around the apartment, watching with interested eyes parts of Ragnor's life scattered in photographs on the wall. Ragnor had been following him, providing snarky comments and funny stories. He had stopped in front of a particular photograph, that portrayed Ragnor and Magnus, both smiling, both formally dressed, posing in front of a stretch of water.

"That's a nice picture," he had said with a soft smile, his eyes focused on his boyfriend.

Magnus looked significantly younger than now, but adult already.

"Yeah, that was on his wedding day," Ragnor had replied and really, there was no way he could have known that Alec was not informed that Magnus had been married before because Alec should have been informed.

"Sorry?" he had blurted out, his mouth falling open in shock.

"Magnus's wedding day," Ragnor had repeated naively, pointing at the fancy suits they were both wearing.

Alec had almost let his glass shatter on the ground in shock.

"What are you two doing?" Magnus had exclaimed cheerfully, coming to join them. "Ragnor, don't tell him the embarrassing stories you know about me!"

"Oh, he did tell me a very interesting story," Alec had retorted coldly and his tone had been enough to make Magnus freeze on the spot, "but that's something we should discuss at home because I don't want your friends to witness that conversation."

So they had left. Ragnor had murmured an apology in Magnus's ear when they had hugged to say goodbye but it was too late and Magnus couldn't blame him because really, how could he have known that Alec wasn't aware he had been married before? He had just followed sheepishly as Alec made his way to his car, driving straight home. He had not said one word during the whole ride but had started shouting as soon as they were inside Magnus's apartment.

And there they were now, Alec pacing back and forth like a lion in a cage.

"How is you being married before not a big deal?" Alec shouted, his whole body shaking with anger.

"It's not a big deal," Magnus repeated stubbornly. "There's no need to dwell on the past."

Alec let out a frustrated cry. "Stop that! Stop acting like it doesn't matter. It does!"

"Really?" Magnus snapped back, his jaw clenching with irritation. "Why? Do you suddenly not want to date me anymore because you know I've been married before?"

"No, but I might not want to now that I know that you've been lying to me for months!"

"I didn't lie," Magnus protested vehemently. "It just never came on the table!"

"Oh, really?" Alec blurted out, his voice heavy with sarcasm and cutting like a knife. "In the year and then some we've known each other and the six months we've been dating, you never once had the occasion to tell me?"

"How did you want me to announce it?" Magnus fully yelled this time. "Over breakfast? Good morning babe! Hey, by the way, I was married for six months eight years ago!"

"It would have been better than lying!" Alec shouted back.

His head was spinning with fury, his pupils dilated and his teeth clenched to the point where it was hurting.

"I didn't lie!" Magnus argued just as loudly.

"Concealing the truth and lying is the same thing!"

Magnus groaned in frustration. "Darling –"

"Don't _darling_ me right now!" Alec hissed, spitting out the word like an insult. His blood was boiling with irrational and inexorable anger. "I can't believe you never told me!"

"Because it doesn't matter!" Magnus repeated, throwing his hands up in both exasperation and frustration. "It was a long time ago and an obvious mistake!"

"You know what was a mistake? Thinking I could trust you!"

Magnus took a step back, his mouth falling open in shock before he closed it again, clenching his teeth to push away the tears that were rising in his eyes. He knew he had messed up, knew he should be seeking forgiveness instead of being absurdly angry but he just couldn't help it. His past was still a sore topic and he wasn't sure he wanted Alec to see him so vulnerable, to see the open wounds of his heart because he had no assurance that Alec wouldn't run the other way as soon as he knew how much of a pandemonium he really was.

So he let him go and he watched, powerless, as Alec stormed off his apartment, slamming the door behind him.

.

* * *

 **Hello lovelies,**

 **What did you think? Do not worry your pretty heads too much! Next chapter will be the last one so they'll probably be okay ;).**  
 **Otherwise, I just watched the episode and WHY DON'T THEY FUCKING KISS ALREADY ARGHHHHHHH**  
 **(that's all I had to say, really)**

 **So, the epilogue will be posted on Friday but if it makes you feel better, I'm already working on a new story ;). If you want, I can give you a cookie of it at the end of the next chapter? Let me know :).**

 **Here's your cookie for the epilogue:**  
 _ **"If you're trying to make me feel better, you're failing," Magnus groaned. "Go away."**_  
 _ **"It's called tough love," Raphael blurted back, forcefully pushing the blanket away from his body. "Get up, go take a shower and then get your shit together and go get your man back. I'm sick of watching you wallow in self-pity."**_  
 _ **"Fuck off, Raphael."**_  
 _ **"I'll do that after you've taken a shower."**_

 **Grumpy Raphael is my favorite Raphael!**

 **Now, by now, most of you have probably stopped reading but if you're reading this and you're in Belgium, Mali, Turkey or anywhere else where terror is rising scarily, my love goes to you. I am an atheist so I can't offer you prayers but I can tell you, as a French person who lived very closely the consequences of terrorist attacks, that even though you won't ever forget, it will get better in time. Feel free to come and talk to me if you need to (on my tumblr onceuponasourwolf or here).**

 **All the love,**  
 **L.**


	8. One Simple Truth

" _We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars._ "  
― Oscar Wilde

.

"Did you feed Chairman Meow these past few days or are you going to make him wait until you let yourself die of sorrow so he can eat you?"

Raphael was an asshole, Magnus had decided. Becoming his best and only friend in childhood had been a terrible mistake.

"He would never, he loves me too much," he mumbled through his blanket fort.

Raphael bended over the couch and grimaced when he was hit by the strong scent of whiskey. There was a bottle lying on the coffee table, long emptied.

"You're disgusting," he said eventually, picking up the bottle by its neck with an appalled frown.

"If you're trying to make me feel better, you're failing," Magnus groaned. "Go away."

"It's called tough love," Raphael blurted back, forcefully pushing the blanket away from his body. "Get up, go take a shower and then get your shit together and go get your man back. I'm sick of watching you wallow in self-pity."

"Fuck off, Raphael."

"I'll do that after you've taken a shower."

Such an asshole.

Magnus showed him one particular finger and pulled himself on his feet, dragging his feet to the bathroom.

.

"Did someone die in your apartment?" Jace asked when his brother opened his front door. "Or is it just you?"

Alec showed him his middle finger, mumbled an inaudible insult and walked back to his couch, letting the door open behind him for Jace and Isabelle to come pester him.

Isabelle took one judgmental look at his surroundings.

"Alec, you have to go talk to him," she said softly, her tone full of sympathy, bordering on pity.

He clenched his teeth. "No, I don't," he grumbled stubbornly.

"You're miserable," Jace put in. "You miss him."

"No, I don't," Alec lied.

It wasn't even his tone that was so manifest of his lie; it was everything else, from his bloodshot eyes to his defensive posture to the slight shatter of his voice. It was in every move he made and in every breath he took.

"Bullshit," Jace uttered because he was an asshole but a blunt asshole.

Isabelle, who had always been the kindest one, came to sit next to him, gently taking his hand into his.

"So, he lied to you," she said. "People lie. It happens all the time. Get over it."

"He lied about being married before," Alec snapped. "I'm not sure it's something that happens all the time."

"I've lied about worse," Jace unhelpfully put in.

"Is it the moment when you tell us you've been married too?" Alec deadpanned, his voice heavy with sarcasm. "Or that you killed someone and hid the body in the family house basement?"

"No, but I did pretend I was an astronaut to get laid once," Jace said. "Before I had even met Clary, obviously."

This managed to make his lips twitch up a little. "I remember," Alec said softly. "I was there."

A small silence stretched between them.

"Alec, you have to forgive him," Isabelle muttered gently, rolling her eyes at her brothers.

"I-I can't," he stammered, biting his lips in an effort to hold back the tears. "Every time I think about forgiving him, I remember why we fought in the first place and I'm angry again."

"Is it because he lied about being married before or because he was married before in the first place?" Isabelle asked kindly but her tone made it obvious she already knew the answer.

"Both," Alec eventually replied anyway. "Stop being wise. I'm supposed to be the intelligent one."

"Then be the intelligent one, get your shit together and go talk to him," Jace blurted out.

Isabelle just nodded in agreement.

Alec wondered if it was possible to disown your siblings. He would have to ask a lawyer.

Simon said no.

.

He was on his way back from his morning run, a week later, making his best to avoid Mrs. Rollins, the old lady from the ground floor, when he bumped into Magnus.

Mrs. Rollins had been giving him nasty looks since Magnus and he had broken up. She loved Magnus, obviously, like everyone they knew in the building and she was thus mad at Alec for splitting up with him. The elevator had been about to close when a hand had grabbed the door, preventing it from shutting. Alec had held his breath as soon as he had recognized the long ring-clad fingers.

Magnus froze when he saw Alec was already inside and he gulped difficultly, stepping inside anyway.

Alec felt the sudden urge to push him out but he was an adult, so he settled from leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and ignoring him instead.

"Alexander," Magnus breathed out.

It shouldn't have been so agonizing. There was so much hurt, so much worry, so much regret in his voice that his heart skipped a beat, before clenching in his chest painfully. Alec didn't dignify him with either a look or a word.

"Alexander," Magnus repeated stubbornly.

Alec didn't bulge, his eyes burning a hole in the elevator wall he was facing.

"Alec, talk to me," Magnus sighed, his voice breaking slightly at the end.

His restraints were starting to slowly crumble but Alec kept up the façade. Finally, Magnus let out a deep breath, pushing a hand in his hair, and turned around to smash the stop button. The elevator halted abruptly.

"What are you doing?" Alec blurted out, surprised.

"He talks!" Magnus exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air exaggeratedly. "Great. Now, talk to me."

"I don't want to talk to you," Alec snapped back.

"How about you let me talk, then?"

"It depends. Are you going to tell me the truth?" he retorted sharply.

He had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from saying anything else he would certainly regret later.

"I am, if you let me," Magnus replied softly. He took a deep breath, scratching his brow nervously. "Listen, Alexander, I'm sorry."

It was odd how these simple words, said on this simple tone, had the ability of making some of his anger vanish in an instant.

"I really am," he continued. "I-I should have told you before and you were right, I could have told you a thousand times but I was scared. This… This is not a good memory. It's not something I did because I was silly and young. It's something I did because I fell in love with the wrong person."

His voice was shaking a little bit and, in spite of his previous resentment, Alec wanted to reach out, to provide any comfort he could because he hated seeing Magnus hurt. He didn't, though, but he darted his eyes away from the wall to look at him properly. He looked devastated.

"I was twenty-one when I married Camille and I thought she loved me as much as I loved her. I was wrong," he sighed and marked a pause, his fingers wiggling nervously between them. "You know how I always dismiss your questions about what I do for a living?"

Alec didn't answer, but Magnus went on anyway. "I work with charities a lot but it's only to keep myself occupied. I don't need to work. I am a patron for some artists, too. My father was rich. Very, very rich. The I-own-buildings-all-over-the-world kind of rich. And I inherited everything when he died so I guess it makes me rich too."

Alec's eyes widened in surprise but his face soon closed off, anger rising in his eyes again.

"Just add that to the list of things I didn't know about you," he snapped.

Magnus sighed again. "I don't like talking about it and it's exactly what I'm trying to tell you. Camille didn't marry me for me. She married me for my money. It took me six months – and that's not counting the time we had been together before that – and a lot of resolve on Raphael's part to make me open my eyes. So, no, I don't like telling people that I have money and I don't like telling people that I was married because then, I have to explain all of that."

Alec softened a little bit, his shoulders losing some of their tension, but he still didn't move.

"That being said," Magnus continued, cautiously taking a step forward, "I should have told _you_. I know you're not like that. I know you loved me for me and not for anything else and I should have told you. I'm sorry. I love you. I love you so much it's killing me to know you so close and yet so far away. Even right now."

He paused, his eyes darting away with embarrassment. Alec knew how much Magnus hated appearing vulnerable. He knew how precious this moment was.

"Is this why you left New York?" Alec asked because if he was going to get answers, he might as well get them all at once.

Magnus nodded weakly. "Yes, eventually. I needed to get away for a while and I had always wanted to travel but Camille was not very… adventurous so we never went anywhere. When I finally got the divorce, I left a week later. I thought I'd be gone for a couple of months at most but when I looked back, five years had passed."

Alec let a silence settle between them for a couple of minutes. He had to think about it all, to ponder everything he had just heard and it finally occurred to him that, actually, he didn't have to think about it at all. It was quite simple. He was miserable without Magnus in his life.

"Love."

Alec had muttered the word before he could stop himself.

"What?" Magnus asked, frowning lightly.

"You said loved. Past tense. I still love you," he explained softly, his voice shaking despite his best efforts to control it.

Magnus smiled a small, almost shy smile that broke Alec's heart more than all the tears he could have shed. It was so unlike Magnus, so far away from his usual glowing grin, the one that had made him fall in love with his eccentric and overenthusiastic neighbor in the first place.

"I'm sorry," Magnus said again, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I should have told you."

He turned around to press the button to start the elevator again but Alec stopped him. He grabbed his wrist gently and pulled to spin him around. Magnus looked surprised but he came obligingly.

"I owe you an apology too," Alec breathed out, clearing his throat to try to appear composed.

Magnus opened his mouth to argue but he was already speaking again. "I overreacted," he sighed. "I-I don't deal well with lies or half truths or whatever you want to call it. I-I just…"

He had to stop himself, emotions blocking his throat and Magnus stepped forward, reaching out to take his hand almost shyly. It was odd, how a gesture that had been so familiar, so easy suddenly held the proof of the distance that had settled between them for a month.

"I just… I don't give my trust easily," he confessed. "You know me. You know I don't open up without difficulty and with you, it's different because it's… effortless and I guess I overreacted because I was hurt but not because you didn't tell me… I was hurt because it seemed like you didn't trust me enough to tell me and I trusted you with everything, even Max."

"Of course I trust you," Magnus responded fervently looking at him straight in the eyes. "This is not about me not trusting you," he added softly. "This is about me not trusting myself. Sometimes I forget I'm good enough."

They paused for a moment, looking into each other's eyes, trying to read there an answer to questions they weren't even aware of.

"I miss you," Alec whispered abruptly.

He didn't need to murmur. There was no one there with them, no one to hear him pour his heart to the man in front of him. But he had felt the need to lower his voice, to say it like a secret, like he was confessing it to Magnus but also to himself.

Magnus's hand moved to stroke his cheekbone lightly.

"I miss you too," he replied, his voice wavering. "So much."

Alec leaned forward and kissed him. He heard with terrifying accuracy the exact moment when they both breathed into each other's mouth, in relief and in pain and in forgiveness. He pressed further, sliding his arms around Magnus's waist to pull him closer, as close as he could, never close enough. They kissed like it was the last time and Alec promised himself it wouldn't be. It couldn't be.

So, when Magnus pulled back, an eternity later and whispered breathlessly, "I love you," it wasn't a lie when Alec whispered back "I love you too" because this much, they both knew, was true and it was stronger than anything else.

.

"Oh, thank God!" Raphael blurted out loudly when Alec arrived the day after at Magnus's apartment for movie night.

He hadn't been attending any of these gatherings for the month they had been separated but it seemed like a good place to start over.

It wasn't so much Alec's presence that made Raphael react that way, but more the fact that he stepped inside like he owned the place and went straight to where Magnus was standing on the balcony to kiss him.

"Yay!" Isabelle exclaimed from where she was tugged under her boyfriend's arm. "My ship sails! Malec lives!"

Alec did not make sense of any of this.

"I was starting to get very worried about you," Simon chimed in. "Especially when Alec called me last week to ask if he could disown his brother and sister."

"They're annoying," Alec replied with a small smile, his arms sliding around Magnus's shoulders absentmindedly.

It had been much easier to smile since the day before.

"You're just pissed that I was the one lecturing you for once," Jace snickered.

"You need Alec to lecture you once in a while. He's half of your impulse control," Clary deadpanned, winking at her brother.

Magnus smiled at her, before turning around to slide his arms around Alec's waist, kissing him again.

"I missed you," he whispered for his ears only.

"You saw me this morning," Alec replied as lowly, his eyes glowing with love and fondness.

"I missed you anyway."

"I missed you too," he said, pecking his lips.

"Does this mean I'm going to have to endure the PDA again?" Raphael grumbled.

"Only during the day," Magnus said, a mischievous spark dancing in his green eyes. Alec couldn't look away. "Nights are a private matter. No, scratch that, days can be very private too. Several times. Like this morning for example."

Raphael and Jace groaned in perfect unison. Alec was too busy laughing to blush.

.

"Babe?"

"No."

"Sweet cheeks?"

"Even worse," Alec groaned.

He was lying on his side on Magnus's couch, his head tugged on his boyfriend's lap and he was really trying to watch the movie but Magnus's fingers stroking against the naked skin of his arm absentmindedly were very distracting so, really, he hadn't been watching the movie at all but that didn't mean he couldn't pretend.

"My sun and stars?"

"Not even in your dreams," Alec deadpanned. "You are not Khaleesi. Now shut up, I'm watching the movie."

"No, you're not," Magnus retorted and truly, it was annoying that he knew him so well that he was able to tell.

Alec let out a deep sigh and he turned to lie on his back, looking up at his mischievous boyfriend.

"What do you want?" he blurted out, not as harshly as he would have wished.

Magnus opened his mouth to answer but he cut him off hastily. "If you say sex, I swear I'm going to spend the night in my apartment. I really can't be bothered right now."

His boyfriend chuckled, rolling his eyes fondly, and moved his fingers gently through his disheveled hair.

"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about," Magnus said softly and there was a shy flicker in his eyes that forced Alec to focus on nothing else but him.

"Talk about what?" he asked, frowning. "Sex? Did I do something wrong last night?"

He was slowly starting to panic now.

Magnus laughed again and he glanced down at Alec with fondness, bending over to peck him lightly on the lips.

"No, you did nothing wrong. Well, not in my book anyway. The Bible might say differently."

Alec snorted. "I think we've long established that we are both going to Hell anyway," he joked. He took Magnus's hand in his, rubbing his thumb along his knuckles. "But stop digressing. Talk about what, then?"

"Your apartment. My apartment. Apartments," Magnus stammered after a short pause, clearing his throat in an effort to appear composed. Alec could have felt the nerves shaking his body even if he hadn't had his head on his lap.

"I think we should move in together," Magnus eluded cautiously.

For a minute, Alec felt really stupid because he had never really thought about it. It wasn't because he didn't want to live with Magnus, far from it. It was because they were always together at each other's apartment anyway. They had not slept alone once since their one-month separation and that had been months ago.

"I know we've never really talked about it but well, I thought it was about time," Magnus added, biting his lip nervously. It was very distracting. Magnus's lips had always been his greatest weakness. "If you want to," he put in.

"Of course I want to," Alec chimed in before his boyfriend could go on. "I love you."

"I love you too," Magnus beamed, his eyes lighting up with affection and happiness.

It was crazy that he still managed to take Alec's breath away with a simple smile. Alec turned back to the movie but he wasn't watching it any more than before, his eyes lost into space, a silly grin permanently fixed on his lips.

"Hey, honey pie?"

Alec groaned. "No. Absolutely not."

Magnus laughed, loud and happy. "Alec?"

He turned his head to look up at him again, wondering how and when and why it had been decided that he would be deemed lucky enough to stumble his way across this man.

"How does sex sound now?" Magnus asked naughtily, already licking his lips.

Alec didn't have to think about it very long.

"Well, absolutely awful to be honest but we do have something to celebrate," he replied and he couldn't have hidden the mischief in his voice even if he had wanted to.

Alec sat up and immediately crawled to straddle his boyfriend's legs, swallowing his laugh with a kiss.

"I love you," he repeated, murmuring it between two kisses like a mantra.

"I love you too," Magnus replied against his mouth, his hands traveling down his back to squeeze his bum. "And you have no idea how much I love your ass."

"Way to ruin a romantic moment, Magnus," Alec groaned, smiling in spite of himself. "I'm having second thoughts."

"Too late," his boyfriend snickered, pulling back to pull his shirt over his head, dropping it to the floor. "You already said yes. You can't change your mind now."

"Yes, I can," he retorted breathlessly, unable to hold back a whine when Magnus rolled his hips against his. "I don't see a contract anywhere."

"It was an oral contract. You sealed it when you kissed me."

Alec laughed against his boyfriend's neck, pulling his head back up to kiss him.

"I guess I'm stuck with you, then," he murmured into his mouth.

"Sorry," Magnus retorted, biting on his bottom lip, eagerly fidgeting to open his jeans. "I don't make the rules."

Alec snorted because really, they were ridiculous… ly in love.

.

Magnus was sitting in bed, back against the bed frame, his laptop open on his lap to look at apartments when Alec came home a couple of weeks later. They had been trying to find the perfect place but there was always something displeasing them, from the size of the bathroom (that was mainly Magnus) to the too far distance from the campus for Alec. They kept looking but it was starting to frustrate them both.

Alec had been away for a few days for a seminar in California and he was exhausted if his slumped shoulders were anything to go by. He disregarded his luggage in a corner of the bedroom and climbed into bed with Magnus, crawling under his arm to snuggle up with him. Chairman Meow, who had been napping on his owner's feet, glared disapprovingly at them and ran out of the room.

Magnus kissed his forehead, then his lips, smiling.

"I missed you," he muttered, his fingers finding their way to his dark hair.

"Missed you too," Alec replied, laying his head on his chest, glancing at the laptop. "Any luck?"

Magnus sighed. "No. I'm starting to think the universe doesn't want us to move in together."

"Screw the universe," Alec replied.

He sat up, took the laptop off his boyfriend's lap and put it on the ground. Magnus smiled, letting Alec crawl back in his arms.

"I might have an idea, though," he put in carefully.

Alec glanced up to meet his eyes, raising an eyebrow.

"We both like our apartments, right? And none of us want to abandon one to go live in the other."

Alec nodded, setting his chin down his boyfriend's chest to hold his gaze, his fingers slipping under his top absentmindedly. There was nothing sensual about it, it was just an intimate, familiar gesture.

"Well, if we break the wall between our apartments, it could one big apartment," Magnus eluded. "I'm quite fond of this balcony. It holds some dear memories. I'm not sure I'm ready to let it go to some idiots who won't appreciate how special it is."

Alec grinned, holding himself on his hands to kiss him softly. "I do like our balconies too. That's a good idea."

"Really?" Magnus asked and he had truly hesitated although he had no idea why.

"Yeah. The balconies are special."

They were. It was where Magnus had fallen in love with Alec and it was a place he would cherish forever.

Alec stretched, hiding his yawn behind his hand and kissed him again.

"I have to go take a shower," he said, reluctantly pulling away from his boyfriend to get out of bed. "The flight back was awful."

"Do you want company?"

"Yeah, I'm going to call the neighbor," Alec joked, a cheeky grin breaking his composure.

"In that case, I might reconsider this whole 'dating Raphael' thing," Magnus teased back, getting out of bed to stand in front of his boyfriend, hands on his hips.

Alec glared at him. "You wouldn't," he stated. "And even if you would, Raphael would never take you."

Magnus smiled and slid his arms around his neck, pecking him softly on the lips. "I wouldn't," he admitted easily. "I love you."

"I love you too," Alec replied, pulling him closer by his grab on his hips to kiss him properly.

"Now, do you want your amazing boyfriend to blow you in the shower or do you want to stand here all night long?"

Alec burst into laughter, dragging him along with him to the bathroom. "We really need to work on that habit of yours of breaking romantic moments."

.

Simon and Isabelle were strolling down the streets of Brooklyn, hand in hand, on their way to see Alec and Magnus who had just finished destroying, rebuilding and rearranging their apartment when Simon finally found the courage to voice out loud the question he had been asking himself for as long as he had known the Lightwoods.

He cleared his throat, trying to summon the courage he lacked. He knew it was a sensitive subject and he didn't want to upset Isabelle.

"Izzy?"

His voice was tentative, almost shy and it piqued her interest immediately.

"Yes?"

"What is the tattoo about?" he blurted out before realizing how abrupt he had sounded. "I mean, you don't have to tell me! I was just wondering since Jace and Alec and you have the same one, there must be a story behind it but it's cool if you don't want to –"

Isabelle stopped walking, forcing him to do the same by the hand she was still holding and shut him up with a kiss, smiling fondly at him.

"Simon, you're my boyfriend," she said tenderly, "you're allowed to ask questions about me."

He nodded in agreement. She started walking again and he followed, looking at her attentively.

"It's a rune," she stated after a moment of silence. She looked like she was trying very hard to hide her vulnerability. Simon knew it wasn't because it was in front of him but just because they were walking in the street, surrounded by strangers.

"Actually," Isabelle continued, "it's two runes combined together. They represent family and love. Alec came across them when he was studying Norse Mythologies for his PhD. He decided to have it tattooed but he wanted to have our opinion first so he came to see Jace and me."

She paused for a second, a small, sad smile playing on her lips.

"When he said it was a… reminder of Max, something to remember him by, we talked about it and we decided to have it done too so we did it all together. So that's what the tattoo is about," she concluded, squeezing his hand gently. "Family, love and… grief, in a way."

Simon nodded cautiously and this time, he was the one who stopped, pulling lightly on her hand so she would too. She obliged, surprised, and he took the opportunity to cup her face, leaning forward to kiss her.

"Thank you for telling me," he whispered tenderly. "I love you."

"Thank you for listening," she replied breathlessly and she didn't have to force herself when she smiled at him. "I love you too."

.

"Magnus, don't panic."

Magnus looked up from his copy of _American Psycho_ to glance at his boyfriend, raising an eyebrow.

"Why would I panic?" he asked, closing his book.

Alec was fidgeting, obviously agitated so he rose from the couch to take his hands, frowning.

"What's going on?"

"J-Just, don't panic, okay?" Alec repeated, his voice wavering, looking over his shoulder like he was about to get attacked.

"We'll see about that once you tell me what is going on. Did you put my cashmere sweater in the washing machine again?"

Alec shook his head, taking a deep breath. He leaned forward to kiss him, a quick, almost desperate kiss that had Magnus's frown disappear to be replaced by a soft smile.

"My parents just called me. For some reasons, they decided to come to New York for a week and they're coming to visit. They'll be here in ten minutes."

He looked absolutely affronted at the idea. Magnus raised an eyebrow again.

"Okay," he said simply, squeezing his hands. "Well, we've been dating for a year and a half and we live together so it's about time I meet them, don't you think?"

"You're not… panicking?" Alec asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

"I can panic if you want me to," Magnus joked, winking, "but that would make two of us and that's a bit much."

"Did I tell you how much I love you today?" Alec breathed out, leaning in to kiss him again, longer this time.

Magnus slid his arms around his neck, deepening the kiss immediately. It was almost terrifying, how easy it was for him to lose himself in his arms, to forget about everything else.

"Magnus," Alec sighed against his mouth, "they'll be there soon."

He pulled back reluctantly, pecking his lips one last time.

"How do I look?" he asked, opening his arms for appreciation.

"Breathtakingly beautiful as always," Alec replied with a fond smile.

"Are you flattering me to force me to behave in front of your parents?" Magnus inquired, narrowing his eyes accusingly.

"Is it working?" his boyfriend muttered with a mischievous smirk.

Magnus snorted. "It might if you promise to reward me with sex later," he snickered.

"You're in luck, I bought lube this morning," Alec teased back.

"I promise I'll be my ever charming self," Magnus pledged.

Alec chuckled, stepping forward to kiss him again, despite him being the one warning Magnus barely minutes ago. They were interrupted by the intercom buzzing loudly.

Alec took a deep breath. "Okay, let's do this shit," he said, more to give himself courage than for Magnus.

While they waited patiently for Alec's parents to come up the elevator, Magnus turned toward his boyfriend and leaned forward to peck his lips one last time.

"Will you still love me the same if your parents can't stand me?" he asked because somehow, it seemed to matter in that moment.

"I'll probably love you more," Alec joked but his eyes were sincere.

Maryse and Robert Lightwood formed an odd couple. Maryse was a stern-looking woman, stuffed in a strict shirt and a skirt slightly too long. She marched like she knew exactly where she was going and in her walk, Magnus could see clearly where Isabelle got her fire from. Her eyes softened when she glanced at her son, though, and there was something deeply motherly in the way she pushed Alec's hair back when he opened the door. Robert was even more austere. He was tall, but not as tall as Magnus or Alec, and stood straight on his feet like he was expecting danger at any moment. Magnus presumed it was the result of years in the army but he had the kind of face that made you think that he hadn't been any more fun when he was a kid. Magnus could almost picture him as a ten-year old bossing around his own parents. He shook Alec's hand like he was a stranger or some kind of work associate and looked at Magnus like he was the strangest thing he had seen in his life (which, Magnus pondered to himself, was probably true).

It was a good thing that they were used to impromptu gatherings with Alec's siblings or their friends regularly showing up without a warning, because that meant their fridge was always filled with food. It was also a good thing that Magnus was a great cook because if they didn't like him, he could at least impress his parents with his cooking skills.

They ate mostly in silence and Magnus took the opportunity to observe Alec's parent more closely. They both looked like they didn't know the meaning of the word fun and yet, they sometimes shared surreptitious smiles like they were deeply amused by a joke no one else could understand. It was almost sweet but also odd because the talking was kept to a minimum so there wasn't much to laugh about.

Magnus hated awkward silences with a passion. He couldn't have it when he was in a room and especially around his dining table. A room where Magnus stood could not be a room where discomfort and unease were almost palpable. So, really, it was the only reason why he finally leaned forward and cleared his throat.

"I think we need to lay some things on the table because the silence is killing me and I'm really not good with awkwardness," he started.

Alec sat straighter on his chair and darted a worried look his way but didn't try to stop him.

"I understand that your son's sexuality has been some kind of a problem between you and maybe you somehow nursed the hope that it would change but let's be honest, it's not. Your son is very much gay. Like very, very gay. He's the gayest –"

"Magnus," Alec interrupted, clearing his throat, "I think they get it."

Magnus looked up to see Maryse and Robert giving a flat stare, blinking in surprise.

"Yes. Sorry. So, I don't know what Alec or your other children told you about me but I'll just break the ice and we can roll from there. I work with charities, I am bisexual, I'm adopted. My biological father died when I was young and my biological mother abandoned us after I was born. I am a democrat and an atheist. I'm also very honest so if you have any questions, don't hesitate so we can clear the air right now. I wouldn't want you to get a bad surprise in a few years when I'm married to your son."

"Married?" Alec and his parents blurted out at the same time.

Magnus darted his eyes to his boyfriend for a second, raised an eyebrow at him in a confident manner and turned back to Robert and Maryse.

"Yeah, I plan on marrying your son some day in the future," he said with assurance, like it was no big deal.

"If that's your proposal, it sucks," Alec chimed in, hiding his grin behind his glass of water.

"That's not my proposal," Magnus retorted indignantly. "When I propose, you'll know, Gideon."

Robert Lightwood frowned, looking bewilderedly between the couple. "Did he just call you Gideon?" he asked, talking to Alec but staring straight into Magnus's eyes.

"Yeah, he does that sometimes," Alec sighed, rolling his eyes fondly.

"Well, if that's the most outrageous thing you heard in the last minute, I'm fairly confident that we're going to get along just fine," Magnus put in with a smirk.

Maryse shrugged. Robert eventually nodded in agreement. Alec gaped at them. And so Magnus met Robert and Maryse Lightwood.

.

"Jace, put that branch down."

"No."

"Jace, put it down, you're going to hurt someone."

"Don't try to reason with him, Alec," Clary chimed in. "It's pointless."

"Alec!" Jace shrieked. "Get that thing away from me!"

"I'm not getting anywhere near you if you don't drop that branch," Alec argued but he rose to his feet anyway.

Jace grabbed him by the arm and pulled him forward, his stick brandished in front of him like a sword.

"It's looking at me," he hissed, glaring at his assailant.

"It's a duck," Alec deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "Stop overreacting and put that branch down."

"Ducks are evil," Jace retorted, his voice wavering slightly. "You can't trust a duck."

Alec snorted. What a great idea it had been to gather in Central Park for a picnic. He had almost forgotten about his brother's phobia. He hadn't expected him to react so violently, too, especially because he was an adult now.

"How are you going to take care of a child if you need me to protect you from a damn bird?" Alec sighed.

He stepped forward and made shooing gestures to the animal. It stared at him in defiance for a minute but eventually wiggled its way back to the lake and away from them.

Jace let out a deep breath and finally dropped his branch. He went back to sit with the rest of the group, ignoring their mocking glances.

"Everyone shut up," he groaned, absentmindedly stroking Clary's pregnant belly.

"We didn't say anything," Simon said through a mouthful of sandwich.

"Your eyes say enough," Jace retorted with a pout. "Shut up."

Alec rolled his eyes and stepped over Raphael's legs to join his boyfriend on the ground. Magnus grinned at him and leaned in to kiss him lightly.

"Enough with the PDA," Raphael grumbled. "I'm going to be sick."

"You're just jealous because my boyfriend is better-looking than yours," Magnus replied with a smirk and he made a show of kissing Alec again with an inappropriate amount of tongue for a public setting, laughing into his mouth when Raphael, after protesting in quite crude words, and Jace made gagging noises.

"I can't take you anywhere," Alec muttered when his boyfriend pulled back.

"You can take me to bed anytime," Magnus whispered back with a teasing wink.

Alec snorted, shaking his head in disbelief. "Your pick-up lines get worst and worst every day."

"It's because I don't need them. You can't resist me."

"Good point," his boyfriend chuckled, pecking his lips once more.

"Enough, please," Raphael growled. "Just get married already so you can go to the phase where you stop being disgustingly in love and start hating each other like normal people who have been together for years."

Alec flushed a bright red and cleared his throat, grabbing a sandwich to distract the attention from him. Magnus raised an eyebrow at him but didn't say anything. Isabelle, who was lying with her head on her boyfriend's lap, looked at them from under her sunglasses silently.

"Oh God, Raphael, you're such an idiot," she reprimanded.

Raphael gazed at her, frowning. "What? What did I do now?"

Simon seemed to figure out what Isabelle had meant because he gasped audibly, his eyes widening comically.

"Look at him!" she exclaimed accusingly, pointing at her brother's flushed face. "You know his poker face is the worst!"

Alec made a point of ignoring them, instead focusing on his sandwich. There was nothing really captivating about it. It was just a tomato and cheese sandwich. Raphael followed her gaze to glance back at Alec.

"Oh, shit."

Magnus tried to hide a grin by biting his tongue but failed miserably. He leaned forward to place his cheek against Alec's shoulder, tilting his head to meet his eyes.

"It's okay, darling."

"Why do they have to ruin everything?" Alec groaned. "Why can't I have nice things?"

"If it makes you feel any better, I was going to beat you to it," Magnus said with a fond smile. "I was going to do it tonight."

Alec glared at him, narrowing his eyes accusingly. "You already knew, didn't you?"

"Yep. Sorry." Magnus tried to look apologetic but couldn't hold back a content smile. "You do have the worst poker face."

"Well, I'm saying no," Alec retorted crankily, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What?"

"I'm saying no. I wanted to do it and you lots just ruined it. Too late now, I'm saying no."

Magnus began laughing but quickly stopped when Alec didn't budge, stubbornly glaring straight in front of him, apparently trying to burn a hole in the middle of the lake with his eyes.

"Alec!" Magnus gasped.

"Nope."

"Gideon," he called out disapprovingly.

"Nope," Alec repeated, avoiding his boyfriend's gaze cautiously.

"Alexander, love of my life, star of my nights, sun of my days," he tried again, with an adoring edge to his voice this time that was only slightly exaggerated.

Alec shifted a little and clenched his teeth but still didn't move. Magnus rolled his eyes and climbed onto his boyfriend's lap, cupping his face between his hands to force their eyes to meet, his long ring-clad fingers stroking his cheekbones tenderly.

"I'm sorry," he murmured genuinely. "I love you. Please say yes?"

There was a definite question in his tone and a glimpse of apprehension in his eyes that took away Alec's remaining restraint. He let out a deep breath and turned his head to press a kiss against Magnus's palm.

"Fine," he mumbled, unable to hide the happy smile playing on his lips.

Magnus beamed at him, that unique, luminous grin of his that had made Alec fall in love with him and he lunged forward, smashing their mouths together, forcing Alec to the ground with the sheer force of his enthusiasm. Alec laughed against his lips and slid his arms against his waist, kissing back passionately.

"What just happened?" Jace blurted out, pointing at the still kissing couple, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I think your brother just got engaged," Clary explained and if she had tears in her eyes, she would blame it on the hormones and no one could hold her responsible for it.

"What?" Jace exclaimed again. "That was the worst proposal I've ever seen."

Magnus and Alec didn't break apart, their lips and tongues still moving together, but they did show him, in a perfectly synchronized movement, their respective middle finger.

"They're definitely meant to be," Simon commented with a chuckle.

The others couldn't do anything but nod along.

Raphael had to forcefully pull them apart, groaning about Central Park being a family-friendly place.

.

It wasn't before they had been settled in a long-term relationship, after years together, that Alec told him the truth for the first time. Magnus admitting he had known from the start would have been more accurate, actually.

"I'm glad I accepted that cigarette from you when we first met," Alec whispered against his neck, his head still spinning with pleasure.

"I'm glad you pretended to smoke to have an excuse to hang out on the balcony," Magnus whispered back, amusement obvious in his voice.

"You knew?" Alec asked, his head snapping back up, narrowing his eyes accusingly at him.

Magnus burst into laughter. "Of course I knew! You were looking at that cigarette like it was going to attack you."

"I swear I'm marrying you just so I can divorce you," Alec deadpanned, glaring at him but Magnus did not believe it for a second.

"Well, wait until next week-end once we're properly married and then we'll talk about divorce."

Alec's heart fluttered in his chest at the mere thought of marrying Magnus.

"I was kidding, I would never leave you."

"Great. 'Cause I kind of like having you around."

"Wow, I'm melting. Take it easy on the love confessions, Magnus."

"Shut up, Gideon. I love you."

"It's getting slightly better but you can still work on it. I love you too."

.

" _Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy._ "  
― Guillaume Apollinaire

* * *

 ***dramatically plays This is the End by the Doors in the background***  
 **My babies, happy together :D. See? I'm not so evil after all!**

 **What did you think, lovelies? Happy with that ending?**

 **I just wanted to say thank you again for all the kind words, reviews, favorites, etc. You truly are the loveliest of them all! Your amazing support means a lot.**

 **So, I've been thinking about my next story and I came to the conclusion that giving you a cookie would make no sense if you don't have a least a little bit of a clue of what it's going to talk about... So I'm giving you a brownie instead. Here's the summary:**  
 _ **"Do you really think it's going to work? I know they are good," Hodge sighed, "but that's a lot of egos we need to get to work together."**_  
 _ **"It will work," Luke said with assurance, nodding. "They can do it."**_  
 _ **In which Luke Garroway and Hodge Starkweather put together a team of world-class thieves to steal from Valentine Morgenstern and everything goes according to plan. Or not.**_  
 **It's Malec but it's also focused on other characters.**  
 **I hope to see you there. Stay tuned, the first chapter will be posted early next week ;)**

 **Thank you again lovelies!**

 **All the love,**  
 **L.**

 **Ps : Friendly reminder that you're always to come cry about Malec with me on my tumblr onceuponasourwolf (that works for freaking out about the damn kiss too!)**


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